Love you, love you not
by Canterbury Fish
Summary: Lily is lonely- sis gone, sev gone,james wid another lily and a wierd dream never leaving her head.she finds solace in a durmstranger who sirius hates for a reason.my first. please read n review.
1. Some things change

**Chapter 1: Some things change**

It was getting dark. Out of nowhere, dark and heavy clouds clubbed the clear sky. Lily Evans was sitting on a bench in the children's park at Spinner's end, reading 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. It was the first time since she had joined the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that she was reading a 'muggle-book'.

Suddenly it started raining heavily. She instantly placed her tattered bookmark on the page, closed the book and started running towards her home with the book tightly pressed to her chest. It seemed ridiculous at times that students were not allowed to use magic out of school. And Lily wasn't the kind to break any rule, even if it was about not wearing pink nighties in the dorm. She reached home after maneuvering out of an open manhole, which was spilling out water at the speed of a jet aircraft. She splashed her way towards the door of her house and pressed the doorbell. Her father, Julius Evans, a bulky man with little hair on his head and a very amiable face, opened the door. She was drenched throughout and her clothes were literally manufacturing water. Her boots had gathered a lot of water, so she opened them near the door and poured the water out of the door over the rose hedges.

" Good lord! Lily, only if you could see how pathetically drenched you are. Even your magic wouldn't be able to dry it up," snorted Petunia, who was sitting across the room at the kitchen counter.

She had what is called the perfect example of an anorexic physique. She had deep green eyes, which were presently mocking over Lily. Her face was pretty, but plastic. And her curly blonde hair made it look even more so.

" Geroff her, Petunia. Lily darling, rush up and get changed. We have the Dursleys over for dinner." Said Mr. Evans in a calm voice.

" Sure, Daddy," she tossed the book to him and climbed upstairs to the terrace where her room was.

Lily's room was the aeriest room of the house. Its walls sported a lovely shade of baby pink with a huge family photograph on the wall just above the headboard of her bed. It was taken long back, when she and Petunia were little kids, unaware of the difference between them.

The room was Lily's paradise. It had always kept her safe from her sister's snide remarks. She remembered how excited she and Petunia were when Lily had received the letter from Professor Dumbledore. But it had all changed when they had come to know that it was for Lily only.

"Lily, be quick. They'll be here any moment and I need some help with the Waldorf salad," shouted Hillary Evans from downstairs. She was a petite woman in her forties with auburn hair, just like Lily. One could easily predict what Lily would look like when she would be forty.

" Hurry up dahling," she screamed again.

Her voice stirred Lily up from her reverie. She quickly grabbed a pair of blue jeans, which fit her perfectly, and pulled down a yellow T-shirt with a butterfly embroidered near the left corner. Her hair was still wet. So she blow dried them and put on a clip to prevent them from flying all over the place. Then she marched down to the kitchen and put the bowl containing the salad on the wooden counter.

" Mum, please check if the topping is all right," she requested.

Hillary tasted a spoonful and seemed delighted at her daughter's effort.

It is very tasty, sweetie. Lucky chap, your husband, to have such a good cook for a wife," She winked at Lily and softly patted her back.

"By the way, what were you doing in the park, all alone?" Hillary inquired.

" Oh, I was just reading one of dad's books," she replied

" Which one?" Hillary asked again

"Pride and Prejudice" Lily answered with patience.

" Did you like it?"

" Haven't finished yet,"

" You'll like it. I'm quite sure. It is your kind of romance."

" My kind has changed mum. I have stopped believing in fairytale romance. I don't see anybody around me who would fit the picture." Lily mumbled to her mother

"Why so, doll?" Hillary's voice betrayed her concern over her daughter's emotional health. Lily had just come to know about her best friend being a death eater and it was eating her up.

" Because everything changes. Petunia did, Sev did and now I don't want to take any chance." Lily debated.

" Lily, true love never changes. It did not in my and your father's case. I know you are under stress now, but time will teach" She reassured Lily and gave her a hug.

" Time will teach," Lily repeated her mother's words feeling the comfort of her mother's embrace.

The doorbell rang for the second time in the evening and there were three people of absolutely the same size and features standing next to each other in the porch, sporting a smile no less and certainly no more than that of Mona Lisa.

Julius Evans shook hands with Fitzgerald Dursley and his son Vernon Dursley. Then he invited them inside the house. Fitzgerald took his seat next to Mrs. Scout Dursley on the beige couch, which was placed next to the fireplace and was amply stocked with firewood.

" Nice collection, Mr. Julius," exclaimed Mrs. Dursley peering over the antique copperware, with her critical eyes, displayed on the wooden coffee table beside the couch. She was a stout lady in her late forties with a Petunia-like expression on her sullen face. Her hair was jet black and extremely curly. Lily was quite sure that she was wearing a wig, although she did not express it to anyone except an all-agreeing Julius.

The atmosphere of the living room was rather dull and no word was exchanged barring a few pleasantries here and there. Hillary was busy setting up the dining table with an occasional help by Petunia. Julius and Lily, sitting next to each other, engaged themselves by whispering to each other, comments about the guests.

" Don't you think Vernon is a true football lover?" Lily piped into her father's ears.

" Why?" asked an interested Julius.

" Y' know, like football – like lover." explained Lily, cackling silently.

Julius burst out laughing and Lily too joined him.

" Please share the joke, Mr. Evans," said Scout almost demandingly.

" Oh, it was nothing. Something about football," divulged Julius, stealthily winking to Lily.

" Speaking of football, is anybody interested in watching the English Premier League match?" asked a bored Vernon in a trademark baritone.

Lily started laughing more furiously and Petunia surely looked offended.

" Nothing to laugh about Lily. At least soccer matches are better than your qui…" retorted Petunia but stopped midway when she noticed Julius eyeing her angrily.

" No dad, she has insulted my fiancé and I'll not tolerate this," she fumed again.

" But Petunia, I was just…." Lily tried to explain but Petunia snapped her in between and roared, " You keep your filthy tongue to yourself and do not dare to speak to me again."

Lily burst into tears and ran upstairs. She locked herself up in her Eden of pain and did not open the door, even after several attempts by Julius and Hillary to calm her down.

She tore a parchment from her notebook and scribbled on it with her petite handwriting-

" I do not want to see anybody. I am not accepted there because I am a mudblood and I am not accepted here because I am a witch. But it is not my fault! I'll not force anybody to talk to me. Please leave me alone.

-Lily."

She stuck it on her door and slammed it shut again. 'Just one week' she reminded herself. Slowly, her tears lulled her to sleep.


	2. While still waiting

While still waiting 

The first ray of dawn entered Lily's room and illuminated it with its golden hue. Her swollen eyelids flickered and showed the brilliant emerald orbs behind them. She was awake but did not want to wake up. After what had happened last night, she did not want to stay back even a minute longer. It hurt her self-respect a bit too much. She wanted to go where her dreams had taken her last night. Her head, now painfully heavy, had sort of recorded the dream and now it was replaying the dream for her.

A girl in white gown with a train full of silver sequins and a tiara is running with a man in a black suit. A flash of light, somebody shouts 'Lily' , the girl turns back clasping the man's hand even more ….

…………….and Lily's eyes open. She was sure that she was the girl but she wasn't sure who the man was. Her eyes were wandering over the side desk on which her cat, Cleo, was snoring blissfully. She gathered the strength to leave her pillow and sat straight on the bed, her heavy head resting on the headboard. She put her legs on the cold floor and stepped out of her bed as slowly and drowsily as though going for a sleepwalk. She went to Cleo and patted her honey brown coat. It was probably the only being, which cared for her, Lily thought.

Suddenly a black owl flew inside the window and settled near Cleo, which stirred the mammal up. There was a rolled parchment tied to the claws of the owl. Lily undid the thread and opened the parchment. It was written in green ink by a familiar petite handwriting. It was from Albus Dumbledore.

"Dear Ms. Lily Julius Evans,

I take pride in informing you that you have been selected as the Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…..

"Me? Head girl?" she shouted in ecstasy. Her joy was so great that she almost forgot that the other members of the family had not yet awoken. She was proud of her achievement. She forgot her heavy head, the cause of the heavy head and everything blue. Out of more than a hundred girls, she was selected and this fact made her exuberant. She could not wait to tell this news to her mom and dad. Quickly, she pressed the letter under a paperweight and opened the latch of her door, the first time after last night. She ran out of her room and rushed towards her parents' room. Then she came to a sudden halt outside their room.

Mum and dad are sleeping. After last night's tiring series of events, they deserved an undisturbed dose of sleep.

She turned back and looked towards Petunia's room. She knew that Petunia would be the last person in her family to be happy for her achievement. She decided to wait for her mum and daddy to wake up. Slowly, her legs shuffled towards her Eden.

Next, she took out a parchment and scribbled a note to Sydney Parker, her family in Hogwarts, her best friend.

"Syd,

Good news! I have been selected as the head girl of Hogwarts. Just imagine…. Can't wait to meet you!

Love,

Lily"

She tied the parchment to the owl's claws and sent it away. She was sure that Sydney would be happy for her. Then she took the letter from under the paperweight and started reading again.

..You will be proud to know that Mr. Sirius Black has been selected as the Head Boy of the school….

"What?"

She read the lines again at least thrice. She wasn't sure if she was in her conscious state, so she pinched herself and read again. Sirius Black? Of all the 'Marauders' she hated him the most. She wanted Remus Lupin, her confidante in Hogwarts, to be the head boy. She wouldn't have minded even James Potter, the incorrigible freak or even Peter Pettigrew, the spineless tail, if it had to be one of them.

Not all, but some of her happiness was diminished. Not because she would have to suffer him, but because she thought that Remus deserved it more than anybody else. She read further.

…You two will be required to meet Professor Mary Hopkins at platform 93/4 on the day of the departure of The Hogwarts Express to discuss your duties during the train journey. You will be further instructed by the headmaster after you reach the school.

Congratulations.

Albus Dumbledore.

Ps. all the decisions are made in the best interest of the students of Hogwarts.

She put the letter into the drawer of her chestnut colour side-desk and slumped on the bed. Her eyes were gazing into the floor, focusless. She was staring at it but not looking at it.


	3. Smiles Away

**Smiles Away**

She heard a little knock on the bedroom door. Lily got up from her bed and went to the door to open it. The huge ivory door opened with a creak and gave way to Lily's parents.

"Are you okay, darling? We heard some noises," said Hillary in an urgent voice.

"Yeah, are you fine, my child?" asked Julius.

She ran to her mother and gave her a huge hug.

"I've a news to break," she uttered.

"Tell us," said Julius wrapping both of them in his arms.

Lily freed herself from her parents' embrace and went to her chesnut side-desk to get the letter. She took it out and read the letter to her parents. As soon as the letter ended, the tears of joy welling inside Hillary's eyes let loose and trickled down her face. There were no tears in Julius' eyes, but his happiness was no less than Hillary's.

"Oh! Heavens. I'm so glad, Lily. You've done us proud, so proud. I'll rush to tell this news to everyone I can," grinned the happy mother; the urgency in her voice was now due to the impending anxiety of the fireworks about to explode. She left a moist imprint of her lips on Lily's cheeks and rushed out of the room.

Julius went over to Lily and pulled her in a deep hug, his hand stroking her head, slowly. A tear trickled down her face and found its place on the cherry coloured bed-sheet.

"I think, now there is no need for that one," spoke Julius calmly, pointing to the note that she had stuck on the door.

Another tear went down, then again and again. Her father sat her down on the bed and placed himself next to her, his hands protectively wrapped around her shoulders.

"I've been so lonely, dad. Ever since I joined Hogwarts. I have friends but my sister is not mine anymore. Sev, my best friend, has turned away, off on a track different from mine. I feel so lonely," she sobbed.

"It is destiny, Lily. Nobody has a picture perfect life. If you gat something, then you lose something else," said Julius trying to pacify the turbulence inside his daughter's heart.

"Meaning," questioned Lily, looking at her father from behind the misty eyes.

"Meaning to say, you have a chance to achieve what you always wanted to. So prove your worth. Not to me, darling. I know your value, but to the world. And do not let anyone deter you or your will-power," explained Julius.

He said further, " Not everyone gets fair opportunities, Lily. I just want you to go out and yourself while fulfilling your duties also."

He wiped her tears away and hugged her.

"Congratulations, sweetheart,"

………………………………………

"Hurry, Lily. Get your clothes ironed soon. Your train leaves at eight thirty tomorrow morning. So we will have no time to do it tomorrow," hurried Hillary, baking cakes for her daughter. The almond-chocolate version was Lily's particular favourite.

"That leaves us with just twelve hours with you," grumbled Julius.

Lily's lips curved into a smile. She was sitting next to the fireplace with Petunia filing her nails on the couch. The last page of the book flipped and Lily got up to put it back on her father's wooden shelf. Then she took the pile of her clothes from the couch and went the ironing board kept next to the kitchen counter.

" Let me," offered the doting father.

"Thanks dad," said Lily and left the pile with her father. She went upstairs to get some rest. She had much work to do the next morning.

She sat on her bed, the last time that year and Cleo followed her. It snuggled inside her blueberry duvet and settled next to Lily. Lily's hands stroked her pet and her eyes closed, her mind wandering into the territory of school-time memories.

She recalled what all she was supposed to do in the coming year and remembered the gone one. It hadn't been much dramatic. The only thing worth mentioning was her newfound friendship with James Potter. Though she still considered him an 'incorrigible freak' as he would never give up asking her out, she had seen his other aspects too.

Initially, she had decided that the friendship would not yield to anything else. But, slowly, through the year she found out that her heart had started deceiving her. It had even skipped a beat when she had seen James in the lake, competing with Sirius Black on who would reach the other shore first. His eyes, full of mischievous glint, were very expressive. It was easy to guess what was going on inside his head because his eyes gave away the blueprints too easily. Her infatuation could have ended there but did not because it was reinforced by the constant poking of Sydney into the fact.

She opened her eyes and took out the letters, James had sent her during the holidays.

"_Dearest Lil,_

_Dreamt of you last night. Nothing unusual. Missing You._

_Your friend only,_

James" 

"_Dearest Lil,_

_Happy Birthday To You!!!_

_Cannot wait to see you. Wishing you tons of happiness and love._

_Your friend only,_

_James"_

"_Dearest Lil,_

_Your 'thank you' made my day._

_Hoping to meet you soon._

_Your friend only,_

_James"_

As she was going through the letters, an owl flew towards the window of her room and perched on the pane. It was James' owl, Gryff. It had dark brown fur with whit spots and a snowy white beak. She untangled the letter and opened it.

"_Dearest Lil,_

_Heartiest Congratulations. You must be happy but somewhere inside I felt that you were not well, probably feeling lonely. If you need something, I'm just a smile away._

_Your friend only,_

_James"_

"_Dear James,_

_Thank you for you best wishes and more for your concern._

_Lily"_

She tied the note on Gryff's claws and it flew away.

………………………………………..

The whistle blew and the train started chugging. The students started waving to their teary eyed parents, some just stared out of the windows, others, who were on the platform, jumped in and the train left King's Cross and entered the scenic terrain.

Lily was sitting with Sydney, alone in the compartment, having an animated chat over the usual train-time topic – holidays.

"It ended too soon," grumbled Sydney.

"It ended too late," corrected Lily, feeling a low suddenly.

Before Sydney could ask her anything, the door of the compartment slid open and four boys entered.

"Knocking – the virtue of the mannered," smirked Sydney.

"Mocking – the virtue of the mannered," snapped in Sirius Black and the whole bunch of friends started guffawing.

James and Peter sat next to Sydney, enquiring about her holidays, while Remus and Sirius adjusted next to Lily on the opposite seat.

"Congratulations, Lily," exclaimed Remus, his happiness evident in his tone.

"Yup, congratulations," followed Peter.

Before Lily could utter word, Sirius cut in, " _Yeah! Congratulations," _he imitated Peter. He carried on, " Learn some tactics, Wormy. See."

He then got up from his seat and bent down in front of Lily, his head hung low, his left hand on his back and the right on his heart.

"Dearest Lily, I exclaim, with my hand crossing my heart and all my mind feeling all the exuberance in the world, that I am no less happy than you were on hearing the breathtaking news. Be kind, and accept the sincere wishes from a devoted lover. Yours forever, James," proclaimed Sirius.

With this the whole compartment burst out laughing. Lily's cheeks acquired a certain tinge of pink and James pinched him on his back.

"Well, I accept your sincere best wishes. Now if you may, we have to meet professor Mary Hopkins, Mr. Head boy," stammered Lily, not being able to think of anything else more sporting.

"Oh! The hops. Okay guys, wish my well-being. Tally ho!" chanted Sirius.

"Go, and don't embarrass papa more, padfoot," echoed James patting his back and stealing a glance at Lily……………….who was looking back.

She instantly turned away, a secret smile emerging on her face and a carbon copy on James'.

…………………………………….

"Ms. Evans and Mr. Black, you two are now the head girl and head boy of our school and therefore we expect you to be crisply alert and disciplined. As far as the train journey goes, you will be required to make the passwords for all the houses and write them on this parchment with the quill which I am giving you. Next, you will tell the house prefects their passwords, privately from other house prefects, and assign them duties for duties for the next week. On reaching the school, you two will ensure a safe departure of all the students and then follow me. Followed?" drawled the professor in a monotonous voice. Except her five words, her speech had remained same sine the past eight centuries or so, Sirius told Lily later.

"Ma'am, why just this parchment and quill ?" quizzed an inquisitive Lily.

"Because this parchment is summoned by professor Dumbledore himself and ensures a non-leakage system,"

"Non leakage?"

"The passwords have to remain passwords. Secret, you know, only for the house to know theirs," said the professor peering from over her spectacles, seeming impressed with the question.

"So get going. I'll send the other prefects in an hour's time," she ended and left them in complete silence.

"Okay, let us set the password first," voiced Lily excitedly.

"Yup! For gryffindor it should be 'bludger beats all'," suggested Sirius.

"Absolutely not!"

"Why?"

"Nothing quidditchy, Black,"

"Then maybe something potionish, Evans?"

"There is no need to get so affronted,"

"And there is no need for you too to get so rude,"

Half an hour passed and the two were still squabbling.

"Fine." Screamed Lily.

"Great," Sirius rejoiced at his victory.

………………………………………….

The prefects came in and the new school captains gave them the parchments containing their duties.

"And now, one by one, I shall call out the names of the houses. The prefects of that house will remain and others will wait outside while we give them their passwords," Sirius said calmly, suddenly appearing responsible.

"Gryffindor,"

Remus Lupin stepped in front and others went outside, sliding the door closed.

"Your password is ' Bludger Potions' ," uttered Lily irritatedly.

"Okay," replied Remus, quite imagining the brainstorming of geniuses behind it.

"Slytherin,"

……………………………

ps. Sorry for the last chapter. It was very short. This one is a consolation for that.


	4. Reaching Home

**Reaching Home**

The train was slithering on the endless tracks, the engine pushing out mushrooms of smoke in the air. The hills on the sides were becoming greener. The castle slowly became visible on the horizon, its minarets poking the clouds in their bellies. The lights of the castle were bright enough to illuminate the whole sky.

It was already dark and the crescent moon had come up in the black sky when the train stopped at its destination. The prefects came out of their assigned compartments and led the students to their respective carriages.

"First years, towards me please," shouted a deep voice from above the crowd.

"Hi Hagrid," chirped Lily going up to him.

"Hey Lily. Congratulations. I knew you'd be the one," said Hagrid.

"Hello Hagrid," Sirius greeted him with a hug around his belly. " Blimey, not even half of your waist," he commented.

They were chatting when a little girl with light brown hair and green eyes came around the corner and asked, " Are you Rubeus Hagrid? My elder sister has told me a lot about you. Won't you be taking us to the boats?" Her name was Alainy Kent.

"Oh yes. I must go now," Hagrid hurried.

The first year students followed the mountainous leader like a flock of sheep dressed in black robes. He took them towards the lake and steered them into the boats, which took them towards the castle.

Meanwhile, the other students waited for their turn to go into the self-driven carriages. James, Remus, Peter and Sydney were the last batch to leave.

"You fulfilled your duty quite satisfactorily. But I must admit that our last batch was particularly more responsive," remarked professor Hopkins much to the displeasure of both the captains.

For Lily, it was criticism that showed she was not unto the mark. For Sirius, it was plain insult.

"Now, follow me you two," she ordered.

They left the station and entered a rickety carriage, which Sirius thought was reserved for them, especially after the snide remarks passed by professor Hopkins. The carriage started moving on its own and took them on a stony path full of pits and bumps.

"I bet this is some kind of game plan to execute us before we reach Hogwarts," whispered Sirius to Lily.

"Why?" Lily asked back equally silently while holding the seat tightly to avoid falling off.

"I had transfigured her pet frog into a glass goblet and she had accidentally tripped it over the floor shattering it to pieces and I think she has come to know it was me," he answered her query with as eager an interest as he got every time someone asked him about the latest prank he had pulled.

Lily smiled to it, the first time she ever did so without threatening him about detentions, but her nervousness was evident on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll not let you fall off the cart. Because if I did, Prongs will bury me alive and grow a crop of mandrakes over my grave and pull them out of the soil and never put them back," he piped trying to divert her mind.

She started giggling on this, her cheeks turning hot and pink. They had been doing this since last Christmas every time her ears heard the name 'James Potter' or anything related to him.

"Is somebody blushing?" Sirius teased her.

"Shut up, Black," she cut him short.

They soon reached Hogwarts without much exchange of words between Lily and Sirius. Sirius who was jabbering endlessly didn't give Lily a chance. She was replying in expressions, sometimes horrified, at other times simply agitated and when the mention of James came, which was more than often, smiling.

"I'll leave you here. Go and meet professor Dumbledore. He'd be waiting in the office with lime bulbs," professor Hopkins told them on reaching the gate of Hogwarts, as expressionlessly as ever.

"Why lime bulbs?" Sirius quizzed looking puzzled.

"It was the password, Black. Can't you realize?" Lily sputtered irritatedly.

They stood before the phoenix statue in front of the office and Lily muttered the password. The gargoyle moved and the spiral staircase appeared behind the statue. They stepped on it and it escalated them to the office.

The office was a warm place, decorated in shades of red and orange. The wall behind the headmaster's chair had the portraits of all the previous headmasters. The floor was carpeted and the fireplace held trophies won by the students of Hogwarts in various inter-school competitions.

"Good evening, Mr. Black and Ms. Evans," professor Dumbledore greeted them warmly.

He was an old, but extremely active, man with his white beard reaching down to his torso.

"Good evening, sir," they replied in unison.

"Take your seat,"

They sat in front of his table for minutes while he was busy pacifying the portrait of Phineas Nigellus who was ruffled up on seeing his great grand son, Sirius. A few dangerous stares exchanged between Sirius and Phineas and then the great grand father disappeared.

"I think he's right, sir. Let me send somebody who is much more worthy and deserving for this duty," proposed Sirius in a serious tone, getting up from his seat.

Lily was surprised to see this serious man standing next to her, giving up his duty for his ego that had been grilled and pestled.

"Sit down, Mr. Black," professor Dumbledore said calmly. " My primary intention in calling you both for this meeting was to remove any doubt which might linger in your minds about your so-called worth,"

Lily and Sirius listened carefully to what Dumbledore was saying.

"Every person on this earth is worthy, is capable. It is not the perception of society but our own thoughts and more importantly our decisions, which decide our worth. You two were selected for this duty because you were found as the most apt candidates," elucidated Dumbledore.

"But Remus Lupin is much more mature and responsible than me," demanded Sirius.

Lily was again surprised, this time on hearing the innocent confession of Sirius. She was also happy that her doubt too would be solved.

"Indeed he is. But we do not want to add to his woes. You know about his condition. And it is not wise to thrust tasking responsibilities on the poor boy when he is trying to cope up with the already existing ones," Dumbledore explained.

A flash of grief spread over Sirius' heart. He understood what the professor meant. Remus was a werewolf. Many people, including his own family, were averse to the fact that a werewolf was studying amidst their 'superior' children. It was Dumbledore who took up his responsibility. If he were to be made the Head Boy of the school, those people would have made his life into a mess.

Lily too understood. She and Sydney had come to know about it last year. Remus had told them about his being a werewolf, himself, when Sydney had asked him out. He did not want to endanger her life. But she never gave up. She had been named as 'male Potter' by Sirius for being persistent in her proposals. Remus succumbed to her wishes during the holidays.

Both, Lily and Sirius, understood what professor Dumbledore meant.

"And James?" questioned Sirius after a long gap of silence.

"Mr. Potter's parents are the top-notch aurors and the most sought after ones, by the death-eaters, too. Since the head boy and head girl are an important link in the Hogwarts Security Chain, we did not want to invite unnecessary attention towards the boy and endanger his life by exposing him to the death-eaters," rationalized Dumbledore.

"You wish to endanger our lives then?" Sirius asked again, this time impatience taking over him.

Lily was sitting quietly, looking wary of the sudden change in Sirius' tone. He was going overboard, Lily thought, but did not intervene.

"Absolutely not. Let me explain further. You belong to one of the most respected wizarding families. And very unfortunately, the most number of servants of the dark lord belong to your family. I presume that they would not want to hurt you until you go out of your way to damage them," Dumbledore peered from over his half moon spectacles.

"And what about Lily? Is she not in danger being a so-called mudblood?"

Lily felt a rush of nerves when he addressed her safety issues. She did not have the courage to question the professor then. She was relieved when Sirius asked about her welfare.

"Ms. Evans is the most brilliant witch in your batch and I'm quite sure that she would not mind fighting for her friends. Moreover, the responsibility of her safety lies on my shoulders as well as yours. And I hope I can trust you with that,"

"Of course, sir,"

Lily and Sirius looked satisfied with the explanation.

"If you both are now convinced, let us progress towards the assembly,"

……………………………………………………..

The great hall was buzzing with energy. All the students, seated at their respective tables, were chatting away with their friends. The hall was decorated beautifully with candles floating in the air, ferns and flowers arranged near the edges of the hall.

Lily and Sirius entered the great hall and joined their friends at the Gryffindor table. Sirius was cheerful, again. His expression perfectly hid the turbulence he had gone through just a few moments back.

Lily too seemed positively joyful. She was answering the ever-going-on queries of Sydney.

Then the first year students entered the great hall, in files of two, led by professor Mcgonagall. The nervous lot mazed their way towards the Sorting hat.

The sorting ceremony took place and the students were placed in their houses.

The little girl, Alainy Kent, was sorted into Gryffindor. The blue eyed – Timothy Moore, the fat bellied – Patrick Faber, and the blonde curled – Cordelia Littrow were a few others who were sorted into Gryffindor.

As the sorting ceremony ended, professor Dumbledore got up to give his welcome speech. The noise in the hall in the hall ended and all the eyeball and ears were focused on their headmaster.

"It is pleasure to see all of you in the school. I take this opportunity to welcome all the students, old and new, for the coming year,"

The whole hall echoed with the sound of clapping. As the applause ended, he spoke again, " I would now like to introduce you to a new student who has joined our school. She is from Beauxbaton as a part of our exchange policy and will join the seventh year students – Ms. Lily de Moiré.

A petite girl with deep blue eyes and matchless fair skin walked on the stage. Her brunette hair flowed till her shoulders. Her pink lips were curved into a smile. She stood on the stage confidently as professor Mcgonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. After a few seconds the sorting hat shouted, " Gryffindor"


	5. Spotting the crevices

**Spotting the crevices**

Lily de Moiré, on hearing the name of her house, got up from the stool and started pacing towards the Gryffindor table. 

"Don't you think we should introduce ourselves to her?" Sirius asked Lily, his eyes following Lily de Moiré.

"And why should that be?" Lily asked back.

"Oh! Head boy and head girl – we are. It is our responsibility……." He trailed off, his breath caught somewhere between his throat and his chest as Lily de Moiré reached the table where they were sitting.

"May I sit here?" spoke Lily de Moiré. Her voice was soft and pleasing, like a note of music sung by a nightingale or so Sirius felt.

"Of course you may," James spoke getting up and closing Sirius' dropped jaw. " Hi, I'm James Potter and he is Sirius Black,"

" Hello. I am Lily de Moiré, but you can call me Lou, my pet name," she replied and sat next to James, between him and Sirius.

Lily looked across the table at the new Lily. Her face was frowned with apprehension and her look was far from friendly. She didn't know why, but she had taken an instant dislike to her. Then, she received a kick from under the table. It was Sydney, who was sitting next to her.

"What?" asked Lily, quietly.

"Don't stare," whispered Sydney into her ears.

"I'm not staring at her. I'm just gauging her,"

"Gauging?"

"Yeah, checking if she fits or not,"

"And why have you started this 'groupism' activity?"

"Not groupism. Just caution,"

"From?"

"She looks like a veela to me. She might have been sent here on purpose, to lure out secrets or something. Just a possibility though,"

"And why do you think so?"

"Gut feeling,"

"Or rather jealousy,"

"Me and jealous, of what?"

"James being friendly with a new 'Lily',"

"Don't whisper in a group. It is bad manners," hollered Sirius, before Lily could think of an answer to give to Sydney's implication.

"And since when have you been our professor of manners?" Lily snapped back at Sirius.

Remus, who was sitting next to Sydney, spoke up, "Come on guys, not one of your fights again,"

Lily and Sirius stopped immediately, but the air of discomfort prevailed until James broke the silence, " So Lou, How do you find it here, in Hogwarts?"

"It is quite extraordinary a school, I must say. The castle is superb,"

"You speak English quite well, being a French; not that I mean that French people can't speak good English or anything like that," Sirius stammered.

"I understand. Actually my father died when I was just two years old and my mother is an English woman. So we spoke more of English at home," she replied sweetly.

Remus felt bad for her. He knew how it was to lose one's parents. Lily sensed his feelings and started chatting with him about his holidays at James' house. James' parents had always considered Remus as their second son and for him too Remus was like a brother. Remus also loved them immensely. Lily knew that talking about them would make him feel batter.

Sydney, Peter and Sirius were busy deciphering the French riddles thrown at them by Lou while James was busy eavesdropping on Remus' and Lily's talk. He was continuously staring at Lily who was listening about his parents with utmost affection. He could not take his eyes off her beautiful face even for a minute. Lily noticed him looking at her and basked, secretly, under the numerous rays of attention.

…………………………………………..

"Same dorm?" 

Sirius and Lily received the biggest shock of their lives when professor Mcgonagall told them that they would have to share their dormitory for the whole of year. They were both dumbstruck but keeping in mind the strictness of the transfiguration teacher, they followed her quietly. She led them through the seventh floor staircase and right behind the portrait of Barnabas, the barmy was the entry to their new dormitory.

"Now set your password," ordered professor Mcgonagall gravely, in her usual bored voice.

"Boomslang skin?"

"Snitch well,"

Lily and Sirius suggested at the same time, both staring daggers at each other after hearing the other's choice.

"Can't you for once think other than potions?" said Sirius in an affronted tone.

"Can't you think other than your nincompoopish Quidditch?" Lily answered back in an equally rude tone.

"Quidditch is not nincompoopish."

"It is. It is the worst game ever invented by anybody in the whole wide world with the most zany idiots playing it, flying after a silly golden snitch and hexing every other saint who comes in their way,"

"Do you by any chance mean that your 'Sev' is a saint? No, he's not. He is a snooty mindless git and so are you,"

"Sure I'm a git but not as stuck up and egoistic ac you,"

"WILL YOU BOTH KIDLY SHUT UP?" shouted the professor, at the top her voice, who was silently observing their fight and getting angrier by their word.

"I'll set the password now. It is ' Gofrins Mesh'. Now off to your dorms you two," She turned back and went away leaving Lily and Sirius with enough silence between them.

"Gofrin's mesh," uttered Lily irritatedly.

The portrait swung open and revealed the arch, which led to the common sitting area. The dorm was exactly like the Gryffindor common room, just the wall above the fireplace had the portrait of the previous year's head boy and head girl.

The walls were done up in rust whereas the curtains were a lighter shade of red with streaks of golden in between. The floor was carpeted with rust coloured rugs and the red couches looked comfortable, placed right across the room. On the right corner of the room was the staircase leading to Lily's room and on the left was the one leading to Sirius'. In front of the wall next to the staircases , a wooden table and chair were kept. Lily reckoned that they were the study tables. Lily's table was near the fireplace and Sirius instantly envied her for that.

Without speaking a word to each other, they took to their staircases and entered their respective rooms.

Sirius went down and swooped down on his cushiony bed. He realized that his room had been decorated in the same way as his room in his house – Grimmauld Place.

The same was applicable for Lily too. The chestnut side desk, the ivory door, the marble floor, the basket for Cleo – everything was the same as Lily's house in Spinner's End. She quickly changed into her blue nightgown and snuggled inside the duvet with Cleo following her.

"Good night, Cleo,"

mewwwwwwww

_A girl in a white gown with a train full of silver sequins was running with a man in a black suit. This time she was running ahead of him._

_Someone shouts, "Lily,"_

_The girl turns back and sees a flash of hazel eyes…………………._

…………………..and Lily woke up.

The dream had come again but it was different this time. She was breathless as if she had been actually running. Her eyes were tired and sleepy but she couldn't sleep.

Nor could a boy in the Gryffindor dorm.

"Prongs……._Prongs……………_PRONGS!!!!!!" Sirius shook James out of his trance. He had gotten up early and gone into his old dorm to meet his friends. " Where the hell were you?"

"Nothing, I'm just sleepy," James drawled.

"Something that you'd like to tell me, Prongsie?"

James tried to look confused but it didn't work. Sirius was his best friend and knew him since he knew he was. He slouched his shoulders and squatted on the bed.

"Lily?" Sirius asked again.

James nodded.

"Of course. Who else on the globe and in the ever expanding universe has the power to do THIS to James Potter!"

James smiled.

"Look at you……..you're smiling like a love-struck puppy! Get alive, Prongs. You're a stag, not a pup,"

"I just want her to accept the obvious fact that she likes me," James replied in a sulky voice.

Sirius was not used to seeing his nonchalant, or rather over-the-top, friend in such a sunken state. Since last year, when Lily has accepted James' friendship on the condition that he would stop asking her out, he had been brooding quite a lot. He needed to vent his feelings out. Sirius decided to help his friend. But the question was – How?


	6. Blooming of a new Lily

**Blooming of a new Lily**

"The dream has been persistent, Syd. And I get up with such a heavy head,"

Sydney just nodded when Lily told her about the dream. They were in the Gryffindor common room, sitting in a corner. James was busy teaching the transfiguration of a quill into a snitch to Peter and Remus was writing notes on the latest ancient runes lesson. Sirius was absent from the view. A girl named Maurice Hitchings was sitting near the window, looking outside, with a book of transfiguration in her lap. There were not many people in the room, it being a Sunday morning.

"Who was the boy?" asked Sydney after a long pause.

"I don't know. Someone with hazel eyes, I saw that last night," Lily spoke dreamily.

"Hazel eyes," Sydney repeated.

"James!" it dawned on Sydney.

"Cannot be, Syd," Lily uttered, half wishing for it.

"Why? He has hazel eyes,"

"Many people in the world have hazel eyes,"

"Not all of them are in your acquaintance,"

"So?"

"The boy will be someone you know,"

"And where is it written that you dream of those whom you know?"

"You can't be running away with someone out of the streets,"

Lily glanced at James and her eyes got stuck at him. Yes, he had hazel eyes. But the voice from the background wasn't his. Lily didn't know why but she did not want to accept that. Her mind was perplexed, her eyes still clasped on James. He was busy with Peter, his hands going to his messy hair to tousle them even more- his trademark.

"Lily,"

She looked back. It was Sirius. Lily didn't notice when he came.

"Hi!" she greeted him.

"I wanted to talk to you," Sirius spoke looking thoughtful and serious.

"Yeah sure, have a seat," Lily was surprised. This was too soon in a week that she was seeing Sirius in a grave mood.

"I think I'll leave you both alone," Sydney got up and joined Remus.

"So, what is it that brings you here?" Lily said sarcastically.

"Look Lily, it is something serious," His voice too gave away the urgency of the issue.

"What happened?"

"James has been different since we came back after the holidays. He is not James anymore,"

Lily looked down and turned her head towards James, again. He was still teaching the tricks of changing a quill into a snitch but the student was different this time. It was Lily – de Moiré.

"He doesn't talk about you anymore," Sirius lied, observing Lily's reaction on seeing James with Lou.

Something hit her, God knows where. The expression in her eyes was unprecedented. Sirius had not seen that emotion stir up in Lily ever before. She felt something choke in her throat. She looked back at Sirius. His eyes were looking deep into hers and the look was frightening. He looked scared, to Lily.

"So?" she managed.

"He has been hooked up by another Lily and she is a dangerous one. She has changed him. And the worst part – she's a half veela. If he gets trapped further, we won't be able to get him back," He lied more, about the part that James was hooked.

"How can I be of any help? You know him better than I do," Lily mumbled putting up a brave front. Her eyes were on James again.

It was the first time that James wasn't looking back. She wanted him to look back.

"_James!" _

"_Cannot be, Syd," _

"_Why? He has hazel eyes,"_

"_Many people in the world have hazel eyes,"_

"_Not all of them are in your acquaintance,"_

"_So?"_

"_The boy will be someone you know,"_

"_And where is it written that you dream of those whom you know?"_

"_You can't be running away with someone out of the streets,"_

Lily wasn't listening anymore. She was oblivious to all the words uttered by Sirius. She was looking a James and the new Lily. Their lesson had ended in a fiasco and they were sharing jokes about it. She was ruffling up his hair, his eyes and hers deeply engrossed in talking, their lips displaying perfect smiles. For the first time, Lily felt sorry for herself. She felt angry at not being able to bring that smile on his face even after a year of friendship, which the new girl was able to blossom in just a week. She felt sad, she did not why; she did not love him, or did she? She did not know. She was late.

Just then James looked back at her. A second of eye-talk and he guessed something was wrong. He had almost got up when the portrait of Henry Wilson – the famous quill-maker of Britain, shouted in his shrill voice, " The headmaster wishes to see Ms. Lily Evans and Mr. Sirius Black,"

"Instantly," the portrait added.

……………………………………..

"Good morning, Ms. Evans and Mr. Black," the headmaster greeted them in.

The chamber looked different in the morning. The rugs and the linen changed shades according to the time of the day; Albus Dumbledore told them on Sirius' urging.

"Sit down, both of you,"

Both, Lily and Sirius, took their seats opposite to the table of the headmaster and across the table was Albus Dumbledore himself.

"What would you both like to have?" Dumbledore asked in a gentleman-like manner, a quality that Lily admired.

"Lime bulbs," Sirius said with a huge grin on his face.

Dumbledore smiled and said, " I have always appreciated your sense of humour. It is a pity that the stock of lime bulbs hasn't been refreshed. You will have to ask for something else. Let Ms. Evans choose this time," he gestured towards the silent Lily.

"Soda with sweet moulds would be fine," she replied in a small voice.

Instantly, the table was filled with two jugs of soda, three plates of sweet moulds and three brass goblets. Sirius poured the drink into the three goblets and served them to Dumbledore and Lily before picking up his goblet.

Dumbledore started, " I have called you both for discussing an important event. This event takes place every year to train the security heads of students of the three wizarding schools in Europe. The event is called – 'War Drills for Student Council' or WDSC. It will teach the participants how to defend themselves and the large number of students in the schools in case of a war. It will train them in the life saving tactics and life searching techniques. As you already know that you both are the security links in the Hogwarts security chain, you will be representing our school in the event. The event will take place in Beauxbaton. Professor Horace Slughorn, the expert from our school, will escort you. Two captains from Durmstrang and Beauxbaton will also take part. It is a two week long drill. You are required to move today itself. Any question?"

"No Sir," replied Sirius.

Lily was quiet.

"Any problem, Ms. Evans?" asked Dumbledore. Sirius looked sideways at her.

She nodded her head in a no.

She was happy to go. She wanted time with herself, to understand why she had felt sad. An infatuation cannot stir up such emotions, Lily was sure. She needed time to think. She decided to do the thinking away from school. Not knowing what lay ahead, she agreed on going.


	7. New Places, New People

**New Places, New People**

It was dark. The sun had set and the lake appeared perfectly calm with the quilt of moonlight covering it. Sirius and Lily were standing silently near the lake. They were about to leave for France. After bidding their quick farewells to their friends, they appeared sad.

"I wish to be back soon," Sirius muttered to Lily, absent-mindedly.

Lily turned towards the castle and looked at it with watery eyes. It had been her home away from home. Her most memories had been those of Hogwarts. She was getting nostalgic.

"Me too," she said.

Professor Horace Slughorn appeared near the outline of the castle-bridge. He was waving to them, asking them to come to him. They started immediately.

"Good evening, sir," they said on reaching their Potions master.

"Good evening. We have to travel to France via Portkey system. I hope you two are well acquainted with it," He growled in a hurry expecting a positive answer.

"Yes, sir," they replied equally crisply.

"Good. The dead snitch, which is kept on the ground, is the portkey. I would be using it first and after I go, you two shall come. Together,"

He touched the silent snitch and was vanished in a second.

"Let's go," Lily urged Sirius to move but Sirius stopped her.

"Wait a minute. I want to show you something,"

"What now, Sirius?"

"See, the snitch. Usually snitches don't die and are never sleepy and quiet. But this one is. You know why?"

"Did you……"

Lily was cut in by Sirius.

"No, it was James. It was back in the third year, when he had joined the team as the seeker and I had joined as a beater. We had won the Quidditch School Cup. After the match, James nicked the snitch from Hooch and engraved our initials on it. Since then, it has been like this,"

Lily gaped at him in distrust.

"Seriously, I'm not kidding,"

"And he didn't suffer?"

"Of course we did. He was given detentions for the whole of next three months with Mary Hopkins. She made him write 'I will not kill snitch again' a thousand times every day throughout his detentions. He had even started saying that in his dreams,"

Instead of giving him a lecture on how she would have treated him, Lily just smiled.

"The marks must be somewhere there," He took her hand and leaned in to look at the snitch closely.

"See there," Sirius pointed out.

The letters 'J' and 'S' were deeply engraved on it exactly in the center where its wings met. The inscription was beautifully done.

Lily looked at it, amazed as she was.

Sirius dived in to touch the mark and suddenly both of them felt a deep pressure at their navels. They soon found themselves twisting and turning and falling off the sky. Next moment they were standing in the ground of Beauxbaton.

Both of them looked at the school building in stark amazement. It was a huge castle made of white marbles and stones. It had a central building with a colossal dome on top. It was surrounded by five minarets close by forming a pentagon. The crescent moon was shining right above the central dome, illuminating it brightly. The garden, which they were standing in, sprawled across and around the castle covering a huge area. The castle was surrounded by snow-capped mountains and a placid river flowed near the northern edge of the garden. It was simply beautiful.

"Good evening, Ms. Lily Evans and Mr. Sirius Black," A middle aged woman in oink robes, welcomed them. Her name was Jane Lwoff and she introduced herself as the potions teacher at Beauxbaton. She was backed by Edmund McClintock, middle-aged man wearing square spectacles and holding a list in his hands. He was the sports teacher at Beauxbaton

"Good evening, madam,"

"Good evening, sir,"

Sirius and Lily had gotten accustomed to saying their greetings in unison.

"It is always a pleasure to meet young blood, isn't it Jane?" Sir McClintock commented with a huge grin on his face.

"Always," she agreed, " Now, you two. Your shelter has been arranged in Pink Palace, a room for young guests in the school. Let us show you the room before our guests from Durmstrang arrive," insisted professor Lwoff.

"Sure, madam," Lily replied politely.

They started moving towards the castle when Sirius asked Sir McClintock, " I was wondering where professor Slughorn was,"

"He is with Madam Maxime, our headmistress," he answered shortly.

The castle was as beautiful inside as outside. A huge wooden door opened to unveil a vast circular room, finely decorated with chandeliers and showing off a huge round table possessing more than thousand chairs.

"This room is the common sitting and dining area for all the students," professor Lwoff spoke.

There were five staircases on five different points leading to the respective minarets. Lily and Sirius were led towards the one on the opposite end of the room. They climbed six floors before reaching a long passage, same like on each floor. On the right side of the passage was the Pink Palace.

"You will find different bunkers in the room. You are free to choose whichever you like," Sir McClintock informed them sweetly and the both of them left Lily and Sirius and went to welcome their guests from Durmstrang.

Sirius and Lily entered the room and found themselves in amidst a beautifully done up room. The room had a central sitting area complete with a fireplace and a bookshelf with the latest books on magic. There were six canopies arranged in a semi-circle on the left edge of the room. The canopies were of pink colour and nothing inside was visible. Lily chose the right-most canopy and Sirius chose the one next to hers.

"Any particular reason for clasping to my side or you just want to irritate me here also," Lily asked exasperatedly.

"It is better to keep close amidst strangers," Sirius replied with a tone of concern.

Lily gave a one sided smile and entered her canopy. It was a room in itself. There was a bed, a cupboard and even a writing table inside. Impressed, Lily came out of her canopy to inspect the common sitting area when she realized that she wasn't alone.

A boy was sitting near the fireplace, busy reading a book. He had a muscular body frame. His face was chiseled and his ebony black hair was carelessly kept.

Lily went up to him and introduced herself, " Hi, I'm Lily Evans from Hogwarts," she put her hand out.

The boy looked up and she found his hazel eyes gazing at her, reminding her of a certain messy haired boy she wanted to forget about; at least for then.

He got up, still staring at her, making Lily a little uncomfortable.

"Hi, I'm Aulay Mackenzie from Durmstrang," he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

She was impressed by his manners and was about to say something when she heard Sirius' voice.

"I don't believe this. Is this you Mackenzie?" He was surprised.

"Sirius Black, of course. How come you are here?" Aulay left Lily's hand and paced towards Sirius who was standing behind Lily.

"This is a place for captains and not wannabes," Sirius taunted him for something Lily couldn't understand. But it hit Aulay. It was visible on his face.

"And you are captain of Hogwarts," Aulay mimed.

"Even the most imbecile trolls would guess that in this situation," Sirius was becoming ruder.

"Sirius," Lily said in a warning tone.

"Let it be, Lily. He has always been like that – rude and conceited," Aulay said to Lily calmly. Then he turned to Sirius and taunted him innocently, " When do you wish to change that, Black?"

"When you stop hiding under the shadows of innocent girls, wannabe,"

Aulay flinched on being called a wannabe again and Sirius looked pleased at that.

Just then a short and plump girl with curly brown hair and light blue eyes came out of a canopy.

"Picked up fight again?" She asked the Durmstrang captain. On listening to her, Aulay backed off. Lily took advantage of the situation and introduced herself to the girl, " Hi, I'm Lily Evans from Hogwarts and he is Sirius Black," Sirius saluted her in a casual way.

"Hi, I am Pamela Devlin from Durmstrang," She replied softly.

The door of the room opened and two more students came in.

"Hello, Myself Mary Sears. Welcome to Beauxbaton," said a tall girl. She had a lean figure and purplish blue eyes. Her ankle length hair, which had been tied in a plait, delighted Lily. She liked long hair.

A thin and tall boy emerged from behind Mary and introduced himself as Ted Odum.

All six of them adjusted themselves on the couches in the sitting area and started chatting. The girls were cordial with each other. Lily found Pamela particularly endearing. Amongst the boys, Ted was calm and composed, reminding Lily of Remus. Except for Sirius and Aulay, everybody was friendly with each other. Lily wished to know the cause of their disapproval of each other, but who to ask. She couldn't ask Aulay, she hardly knew him. And Sirius wouldn't tell her. She left the matter for then and engrossed herself in the chat with others.


	8. New Beginnings

**New Beginnings**

Mr. Edmund McClintock blew the whistle and all the six of the captains became erect in their positions. Girls were standing in a row facing the row of the boys with the professors from Beauxbaton on one side. The professor from Durmstrang, Maria Boltsman, and professor Slughorn watched them from the other end.

"This is first day of your two week long schedule. Let me start by giving you an introduction of WDSC. It was founded in the year 1970 by the then minister of magic, Fredereich Quesel. Since then, every year, two students from each of the participating schools are trained to fight and defend the wizarding community," informed Mr. Edmund. He went on, " All the caretakers have been trained in the skills and techniques which will be taught to you. We have prepared various activities for you, which will enable you to imbibe the qualities like team -work, decision making, defence against encroachment from other species, logical thinking etc. Today's activity is to improve your surveillance and observation skills. You will be divided into three groups of two, a girl and a boy, and will be assigned areas of surveillance. You have to make use of the provided facilities and your own analytical power to check the area for possible weak knots, probable hideouts in case of a war and prepare a war strategy. You will explain your plan to the assigned leader by six in the evening, ie, in the next eight hours,"

All the students listened to him carefully and for the first time, Lily noticed, that Sirius wasn't yawning while listening to a speech.

Then professor Lwoff took over. She started, " The groups are as follows: Sirius Black and Mary Sears are water fighters, Ted Odum and Pamela Devlin are land fighters, Aulay Mackenzie and Lily Evans are air fighters," Then she went to Sirius and handed him a packet of gillyweed. To Ted, she gave a Merychippus, an ancient ancestor of Horse from the Miocene era. Aulay received a broomstick.

She spoke again, " For water fighters the leader is professor Maria Boltsman, for landfighters the leader is professor Horace Slughorn and for air fighter the leader is professor Edmund McClintock. Your time starts now," 

The four teachers walked away leaving the six of them in the buzz of excitement.

Aulay, who had been, though inconsistently, staring at Lily, went up to her and said, " So, let's get going,"

" I'd love to but there is one problem," Lily murmured in his ears, much to the displeasure of Sirius.

" And what is that?" Aulay asked in a low voice.

"I am scared of height. I can't fly," Lily's emerald eyes expressed her fear quite well to Aulay.

Aulay smiled and Lily said in mock fury, "How dare you laugh at me?" and punched him lightly on his shoulder.

He smiled more. 

" Let's do one thing. You climb the broomstick and close your eyes. Then when we take off, open your eyes slowly and we will fly at a height you are comfortable at," he suggested calmly, noticing that Sirius was still looking at them.

Lily looked at the innocence in his hazel eyes and agreed. He climbed the broomstick and Lily followed nervously. Her legs were shaking and she was sure Aulay could hear the sound of her mad heart thumping against her ribcage. 

"Can I hold you, please?" Lily asked him trembling inside, dreading what he must be thinking about her.

"Sure,"

She held his waist in her hands and saw how strong he felt. She squeezed her eyes when the broomstick took off. She clenched his pale yellow shirt in her fists till her knuckles became white and she got scared that she might actually tear it. Her mouth was dry. But as they went up slowly, the cool breeze began to blow in her auburn hair.

"Open your eyes, Lily," Aulay asked her softly.

She opened her eyes very softly and gasped at the breathtaking view. They were flying over the mountains. The castle was far away but looked as beautiful as from near. The river flowing beneath them was crystal clear and Lily witnessed a few fishes popping out of the glass sheet and diving in again.

"It is so beautiful," she exclaimed, unclenching her fists, her hands brushing Aulay's shirt.

"Indeed, it is," 

……………………………………………………

"Mr. Black! Do you want to start the drill or shall I continue on my own?" Mary shouted at Sirius who was busy staring at the vanishing figure of Lily and Aulay.

"Call me Sirius," he said still gazing at the sky.

"What?"

"Call me Sirius, _belle femme_," he turned to her.

Mary raised an eyebrow and said, " _Sirius,_ are you at all interested in the drill?"

"Of course I am. Let's go,"

Sirius took out two gillyweeds from the packet and gave one to Mary. They swallowed it together and jumped inside the water. Slowly, both of them developed gills and they started swimming with the flow of the river.

"You look equally beautiful with gills," Sirius flirted.

"Do you mind if we concentrate on observing the area rather than my gills. We have just eight hours," Mary replied coolly.

"Sure," Sirius smiled to himself and added one more to the list of those girls who haven't given him any footage.

…………………………………………

The sun had set and all the teachers came out to evaluate the work done by the students. All the students had reached the castle by five and had gone to their canopies to change and rest. As the clock struck six, all the students came down, except Sirius.

Professor Lwoff checked the students off her list and frowned when she noted that one was missing.

"Where is Mr. Sirius Black?" she asked.

All the students looked at each other in confusion while Aulay gave a sideways grin.

"Ms. Evans?" she asked looking intent.

" I haven't seen him after morning," she replied.

"Ms. Sears?" Lwoff asked Sirius' partner.

"He was with me till we came back to the castle at four thirty. After that I lost touch," Mary said to her potions teacher, who was looking like a volcano about to burst.

"Does anybody know where Mr. Black is?" she asked again, this time to all of them.

No one replied.

"Sirius," Lily said to herself in an exasperated tone, nodding her head.

………………………………………..

Do you realise how irresponsible you've acted?" professor Lwoff scolded Sirius in her chamber, the next morning.

Mr. McClintock, professor Slughorn and professor Boltsman too were present at his trial.

"I do, madam," Sirius replied, looking gravely at the floor.

"And may we know the reason for your sudden disappearance?" she hauled at him again.

"I was not feeling well,"

"So you went to the local infirmary without informing any of us? A muggle infirmary? Were you drunk or do you not realise the intensity of the mistake that you've committed?"

"Madam, I suffer from an unusual muggle disease. I get fits of hysteria and sudden bouts of self-harming obsessions. I have suffered from it since my childhood. Something in my genes, they say. I did not want to tell anyone and disturb them," he lied innocently.

The mood of professor Lwoff and others changed after this but Horace Slughorn looked at him in disbelief. He admired Sirius inside for his story-telling capabilities.

"Do not repeat this," professor Lwoff said in a calmer voice.

"I'll make sure of it,"

he turned back and left the room. He was pacing towards the Pink Palace when he felt a hand clasp his arm and pull him behind a pillar near the entrance.

"Where were you Sirius? How irresponsible can you get? You could have told someone. Poor Mary had to do all the explaining alone," Lily was furious. She stopped to get an answer.

"It was full moon last night," 

Those words of Sirius poured a bucket full of ice over Lily's anger. She generally liked him for what he was to his friends, but this act of his made her worship his friendship.

She immediately apologized to him and said, " I'm so proud of you,"

Sirius grinned and spoke, " Friends?"

Lily gaped at him and stared at his outstretched hand.

"My friends say that I'm a good one," he winked at her.

"I'm sure," she shook his hand.

…………………………………………….


	9. Love you, love you not

**9. Love you, love you not**

_A girl in white gown with a train full of silver sequins is running with a man in black suit._

_Someone shouts 'Lily,'_

_The girl turns back and sees the man in the black suit with his back towards her. He had ebony black hair, combed back. She put her hand on his shoulder, he turned back, Lily saw a flash of hazel eyes and a bright smile…………………._

………………….and Lily got up.

Her heart was thumping madly and she was breathless. For a moment she felt that she had seen James and the next moment she felt as if the voice was Aulay's. Her head was heavy and she couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.

………………………………………………………..

More than a week had passed since their departure from Hogwarts. Sirius and Lily were missing their school and friends dearly. Being a weekend, the day was given off for all of them. Mary and Pamela had decided to visit the nearby village, Lhysterdaux. Ted was busy completing the notes of the classes that he had missed. Sirius was resting in his canopy. Lily was sitting in the common area reading a book on Jean Daudet, a famous wizard, when Aulay came and sat next to her.

She looked at him and smiled and he smiled back. Lily closed the book and started talking to him.

"So, how's your school like?" Aulay asked him after answering the same question.

"It is my haven, home away from home. It is such a nice place, so comfortable, so affectionate; feels as if it lives," Lily replied dreamily while Aulay gazed at her.

"I have never thought like that. Probably Durmstrang lives too. But I love it even otherwise," he grinned when Lily's eyes met his. He continued, " And how are your friends?"

" Friends……….I have quite a few. Let me name them for you – Sydney, Remus, Peter, James, Sirius, Sev…..," she couldn't go on.

"Who's Sev?" Aulay noticed the change in expression in Lily's eyes after she said his name.

"My oldest friend, my best friend. But last year things changed. We started drifting apart, and now there is an unbridgeable gap between us," Lily answered. She was shocked that she uttered these words to Aulay. She had never said them to even herself.

Aulay patted her cheek and she smiled weakly. 

"How are your friends? I saw that you don't gel well with Pamela," Lily asked him to get out of her mood.

"Pam and me can never gel. We are two poles being forced to work together. She hates me, I hate her, end of it. It is the same as you and Sirius,"

"I don't hate Sirius," Lily frowned at the comparison.

"You don't? I do,"

"Why? I mean if you don't mind me asking,"

"We've never been pals. Since the time I knew him, he's been an insufferable arrogant brat and I don't like such people,"

Lily was about to defend Sirius but decided otherwise, considering the privacy between two people and their fights.

She changed the topic.

"Do you read books?" She asked him.

"I love to. My favourite is the one that you are holding,"

"Really?"

"Yup! The wizard is so amazing, so powerful. I wish to be like him,"

"Do you wish to be amazing or powerful?" Lily asked him naughtily.

"I am amazing. Now I wish to be powerful,"

Both, Lily and Aulay, started laughing at this.

"You have beautiful eyes, Lily," Aulay complimented her, looking deep in her eyes.

Lily grinned at him. She said 'thank you' and looked at his eyes. They were pure hazel. Aulay was the second person she had met who had such eyes. They were exactly like James'. In fact, Lily found many things about Aulay that were like James; like his body type, his hair colour, his love for quidditch, his smile. Though less innocent than James', his smile was very endearing.

"Hey Lily, a letter," Sirius announced coming out of his canopy, over-expressing his disgust, by his expression, on seeing Lily and Aulay together.

"Whose?" Lily asked him.

"Come with me," Sirius said firmly.

"She is talking to me and you have no business here. So. Just leave us alone," Aulay stood up from his seat and spoke to Sirius.

"Keep your nose out of it, wannabe, or you'll have it punched out," 

"Oh yeah?" Aulay moved towards him when Lily came in between both of them.

"I'll see you later Aulay," she said hurriedly and took Sirius out before it got too late.

They went near the river and Lily asked him, " What is it, Sirius?"

"A letter from Prongs,"

"For me?"

"Us,"

"You. Why do you tell me?"

"I want you to read it,"

"I don't want to,"

"Then listen to it,"

"Sirius, please don't,"

Sirius held Lily's hand tightly, so that she couldn't run away, and started reading the letter.

'_Dear Padfoot,_

_How are you? And how is Lily? I'm missing you both a lot. Transfiguration is such a drag without you. No new prank, Moony going out with Syd and the ever-more-sloppy jokes of Wormtail; I'm feeling like a prisoner in Azkaban. By the way, Lou is a sweet girl and the only time when I enjoy myself nowadays is when I'm with her._

_Will write later. Take care of Lily._

_Prongs'_

Lily's eyes were watery but she quickly regained her composure and sat on the edge of the land near the river.

"He's smitten. But he hasn't forgotten you," Sirius spoke, controlling his urge to tell it all to Lily.

Lily didn't reply. She kept looking at the pure water, which was flowing above her feet, tickling her toes.

"You like him, don't you?"

Again, silence prevailed.

"Come on, Lily. Speak up. Until and unless you speak you won't be able to understand what you feel,"

"Yes,"

Sirius couldn't believe that she was confessing her feelings for James to him. It meant a lot to him. He vowed inside himself that he won't ever let her down and will make sure that she gets through to James.

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"It was just a frivolous crush. Moreover, I never took it seriously," 

"He did. He loved you,"

Lily looked at him and felt a shovel digging deep inside her. She couldn't take it; so she looked away and Sirius understood that his job was half done. He decided to discuss another major issue.

"By the way, what is it going on between you and Mackenzie?"

"Me and Aulay?" Lily looked surprised.

"Yes. You looked quite comfortable with him on the broomstick,"

" I was, but he's just a friend,"

"He's not a friend, he's a fiend. He cannot be anybody's friend,"

"Why?"

"There are some things, Lily, which you must understand now. Aulay is not a nice person,"

"But he's been so good to me,"

"He may have vested interests,"

"How can you say that?"

"I've known him childhood . He's a crook, a bad crook,"

"How?"

"He's James' step-brother and I've spent half of my life in his house,"

"What?"

"Let us not get into the gory details of things. But let me warn you off him. He doesn't deserve anybody's friendship," Sirius finished and got up. 

He put his hand out to help Lily get up.

"I'll come later," she said.

"OK," said Sirius and walked towards the castle.

Lily sat there, pondering over what Sirius had told her. Then her mind glided over to James' letter and very soon she started wondering about her dream.

She was busy thinking when someone shouted her name. She turned back and saw the same pair of hazel eyes. She noticed his hair – they were combed. 

'Aulay!' she thought to herself. 

Aulay came, sat down beside her and said, " So, he's told you that I'm James' stepbrother,"

"How do you know?" Lily asked in confusion.

"He gave me a queer look when I crossed him in the gallery. I guessed and I guessed right,"

"It doesn't make a difference. It is not a crime to be someone's stepbrother. I don't know why this is a cause of such a row between you two, but I don't give it much importance," Lily spoke calmly.

"Thank you. You're the first person I've met who doesn't think that being James Potter's stepbrother is a crime,"

They sat in silence for a while then Aulay spoke again, " Lily, I like you very much," 

Then he bent down on his knees and said, " You have enchanted me. You are like no other girl and I have fallen in love with you,"

Lily was rooted to the spot.

"_He's not a friend, he's a fiend. He cannot be anybody's friend,"_

"_I've known him childhood Lily. He's a crook, a bad crook,"_

"_Let me warn you off him. He doesn't deserve anybody's friendship,"_

Sirius had warned her to stay away from Aulay. But her dream had shown her something else. The voice was Aulay's.

Lily was confused. She said just one thing and ran away to the castle, " I need time,"

………………………………………

Everybody was busy packing their belongings. They were being sent back early because of the upcoming examinations in Durmstrang. Lily felt a bit awkward when Aulay came in and smiled sweetly at her. She smiled back weakly and went inside her canopy. Everybody had gotten a letter from the caretakers. Lily's letter was placed on her bed.

'_Ms. Lily Evans,_

_We have been extremely privileged to train such a brilliant batch of students. We had been evaluating all the students and the marks are as follows:_

_Ms. Lily Evans - 70 points_

_Ms. Pamela Devlin - 50 points_

_Ms. Mary Sears - 60 points_

_Mr. Sirius Black - 45 points_

_(lost 20 because of his disappearance)_

_Mr. Aulay Mackenzie - 75 points_

_Mr. Ted Odum - 55 points_

_Note: After two weeks, the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbaton will visit Hogwarts for the next stage of the training.'_

Lily felt relieved to go back to Hogwarts, to her haven, her home away from home.


	10. Striking Arrows

**Striking Arrows**

Sirius was sleeping on the couch in the heads' common room; his legs sprawled on the head rest. Lily was sitting on the floor, resting her back on the couch, unpacking the gifts she'd gotten from her new friends. Mary and Pamela had given her a Pinkwizard. It was a calendar which, they said, would help her to remember important dates. Ted had gifted a Frangipani-luck. It was to ward off evil-eye and attract positive energy. It was a local tradition to gift Frangipani-lucks to guests, Ted told her. She picked up the last box. It was wrapped in red paper and tied with a golden ribbon. She untied the ribbon and unwrapped the gift. She opened the box and saw a crystal broomstick inside with a note attached to it. It read : 

'_Dearest Lily,_

_We became friends during the broomstick ride. It was the ride when I first saw my heart flying off to you. This gift is an attempt to make that moment immortal._

_You said that you needed time. You have all the time in the world. The fact that you will be thinking about me all this time is enough for me to remain satisfied. Just remember that my love for you is not dependant on your answer. I'll love you whatever your reply be._

_Aulay'_

Lily read the letter and smiled to herself. Love turns up from unexpected corners but the corners you want it to erupt from, it never will – Lily thought to herself. She picked up the crystal broomstick and admired its delicate and sleek structure. Her heavy eyelids started drooping and her mind took off on the broomstick. It had been so long that she'd been away from Hogwarts. Now inside its embrace, she felt protected and comfortable. She rested her head on the arm-rest and slept.

Her eyes opened the next morning, when Sydney burst into the heads' dorm suddenly and started having an altercation with Sirius.

"Hi, Syd," Lily yawned.

Sydney forgot her altercation and hugged her friend. She had missed her, especially when there was nobody to play don't-you-love-James game with. 

"Long time," she said.

"Yeah, long time," Lily replied.

Sydney turned back to Sirius and asked, "Are you still interested in having a girly gossip with us?"

Sirius made a barfing sound and pointed his forefinger to his tongue. Then he went inside the room, leaving Lily in piles of laughter.

"So how was the trip?" Sydney asked, adjusting herself on the couch.

Lily passed her a cushion. "Very tiring but very exciting,"

Very soon, Lily had uttered each and every detail of the trip. From the first look at the splendid castle to the day of the departure, Sydney now had the first hand knowledge of the trip from Lily's point of view.

"Aulay, quite a nice name. And I like the gift too," Sydney smiled and hinted towards the box on the table.

"Oh, you saw!" Lily smiled and showed her the gift. Sydney hooted after reading his note.

She asked Lily, "Crush?"

Lily shook her head in a no.

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Guess who he is,"

"Who?"

"He is James' stepbrother,"

"WHAT?"

Lily smiled.

"Hazel eyes?" Sydney asked again.

Lily nodded her head in a yes and then continued, "Anyway, how was your Hogsmeade trip?"

"Not bad. I went with Alice and I have a ripe juicy gossip for you,"

"What is that?"

"She's been getting anonymous bouquets everyday, since the last month,"

"Cute!"

"Very. Who do you think it can be?"

"Amos?"

"Diggory?" Can't be,"

"Why?"

"He asked Norah Benet out for the trip,"

"Bad taste,"

"Norah's,"

Both the girls squealed with laughter after that. They had a history with Amos Diggory. They had become friends because of him. Back in the first year, both the girls had a crush on him. He had asked Lily's the then pal Gertrude Cooper out. Lily had cried her heart out in front of Amos' the then best friend Sydney Parker. Both of them had been inseparable since then. 

"Remember how weird his hairstyle was, when he'd gone on his first date with the ol' Gertrude?" Sydney reminisced in between her laughter.

"WAS?" Lily chuckled.

Both girls guffawed again.

"Maybe Cruz Benwood. He's always very sweet with Alice," Lily suggested after regaining her composure.

"Cruz is sweet with everybody. I think it is Frank,"

"Cherovin? That Ravenclaw ?"

"No, Longbottom,"

"How?"

"He stares at her quite a lot. I noticed during the past one week. Moreover, I saw him buying flowers from the florist near Three Broomsticks,"

Lily made an 'o' with her lips and winked at her.

"By the way, there is something else too," Sydney became solemn.

"What?"

"I think James is going out with Lou,"

Lily looked down and asked her why she thought so.

"I saw Lou kissing someone on the ridge in Hogsmeade. Later, Peter told me that though they were supposed to be together, it being a full moon day, James and Sirius joined them much later. He knew why Sirius got late, but even on asking, James dodged the question,"

Lily's heart sank. She could not get over the fact that James had gotten over her. Now that she harboured a crush on him, he had moved on with someone else. She forgot that she had borrowed time from Aulay, she forgot that it was Aulay's voice in the dream, she forgot that it was herself who had longed for him to leave her alone; she only remembered that James had a new girl with him, a new Lily.

It had been only twelve hours since she had been back and she had already received the most awful news. 'It cannot get worse,' she thought to herself. Hours became days and days became weeks. Lily seldom went out of her dorm other than the classes. She had stopped attending weekend parties for the fear of not being able to control herself. James was getting restless because Lily had stopped talking to him. He was scared that he might lose her friendship as well. So he wrote a letter to her.

'_Dearest Lily,_

_It has been a long time since we exchanged even a word. I hope I haven't hurt you. I want to talk to you. Please meet me on the astronomy tower tonight at nine-thirty._

_James'_

Lily was sitting in the heads' dorm when Sirius came in and gave her the letter.

"This one's for you,"

Lily read the letter and looked at Sirius.

"What is it about?" she asked him.

"I don't know,"

"Have you told him that I had a ..er..crush on him?"

"I haven't, I swear,"

Lily hadn't told anybody about this to anyone except Sirius. Sydney and Remus had tried to extricate her feelings out, but Lily never spoke about it. She trusted Sirius and she believed him if he was saying that he hadn't told James anything.

She sat there, confused, when they heard some noises outside. Both of them rushed outside and witnessed a horrific scene. Professor Mary Hopkins was dueling with a person, cloaked in black while there were a few others too, who were asking him to back off. Even his face was covered with black cloth with slits for eyes. Another person, again covered in black, hexed professor Hopkins and she fell to floor.

Sirius promptly took out his wand and ran to follow the people. Meanwhile, Lily rushed to get Professor Dumbledore. Breathless, her hair flowing in all directions, she ran towards the headmaster's office. She found him descending the steps of the gargoyle. Before she could utter a word, professor Dumbledore spoke to her.

"Gather the prefects in my office and give them the emergency commands," He hurried away.

Lily hopped up the steps of the gargoyle and sent for the house head prefects. Very soon, all the head prefects had assembled in the office.

Ayaaz Sheikh, the Ravenclaw head prefect asked, " What is the entire ruckus about?"

Lily explained, " A few people have been seen in the premises of Hogwarts. They haven't been identified nor are their intentions clear. So we need to take precautionary measures. Listen to the orders carefully and inform all the other prefects as well as the students about them. The students have to remain inside their house dormitories and sleep in the common room with all the other students. The prefects should make sure that the students are in discipline and do not indulge in any unruly or harmful behaviour. Nobody should accept anything to eat or drink from anyone except the prefects who, in turn, will get their supply from the house masters. All the students are expected to remain calm," 

In the astronomy tower, unaware of the trouble, James took Lily's absence for a negative reply and quietly returned to his dorm.

All the head prefects nodded and went to their respective houses. Remus patted Lily's back and carried on with his duty. Lily sprinted back to her dorm and found Sirius in front of the fireplace. He was knelt down in front of the flames, his palms on the knees supporting his drooping shoulders. Lily saw a tear trickle down his face and fall inside the golden flames with a spark. Lily had never seen Sirius cry nor had she ever expected to see him cry. She knew something must be terribly wrong.

She went up to him and put her hands on his shoulders, her heart beating with the worry of the impending storm.

"What happened?" Lily murmured.

Sirius was quiet for a long time. The he spoke, " Lucius Malfoy has eloped with five others,"

"Eloped?"

"Yes, to join the death eaters," Sirius breathed hard.

"Shit! Who are the others?"

Sirius was again silent for a long time. Then he revealed the names.

"Austin Lestrange, Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Black, Regulus Black…………." He couldn't carry on further.

Lily sat down next to him and patted his cheek. She knew how he must have felt, watching all his relatives going away to the opposite side of the fence. Half of those who eloped were from Sirius' family and she dreaded the impact it must have had on him. She didn't want to ask him but being a Head girl, she had to know.

"Who was the fifth?"

Sirius looked at her. His eyes were red and from his expression it was clear that he dreaded the answer.

He answered solemnly.

"Severus Snape,"


	11. This could not get worse

**This could not get worse**

"_Who was the fifth?"_

"_Severus Snape,"_

From confusion to anger and then to pain, the expression in Lily's eyes travelled the journey very soon. It had hit her like a bolt of lightning. Her eyes were bloodshot, unknown tears falling blindly.

"_Severus Snape,"_

The words were hammering her head, a whirlwind of questions and emotions twisting her insides.

'_Why did he do this?'_

'_Did he not, once, think of me?'_

'_Does he also think that muggleborns should be eliminated?'_

She asked these questions to the scratched walls of her empty heart and they echoed again and again, leaving her more restless and hurt. She was face to face with the worst tragedy that could hit her. Severus was her best friend. Since the time they knew that they existed, they knew that the other was their companion for ever. And all of a sudden, Severus neglected her existence completely and joined hands with the forces, which were fighting against people like her.

She was shivering with the fear of the coming of the storm, her skin was burning with anger, her eyes were stinging with the pain holding back the waves of tears. She was in immense pain. She had never felt such an enormous bundle of emotions swell up inside her at the same time for the same thing.

She was sitting on the couch. Her legs were folded and her arms were securely tightened around them, her chin was on her knee. She was continuously crying. She had never felt more vulnerable. Her mind was wandering, recollecting old memories; memories of the time when she and Severus had been inalienable and their friendship had been indissoluble.

"_Hey Sev, look what I got!" _

_Lily ran, with her little steps, on the grass in the garden of Severus' house, to show a trifoliate leaf to him. Severus was behind the rose hedges, apparently looking for something. He looked from behind the bushes and saw what Lily had to show._

"_Wow! A lucky charm. I had been looking for one for a long time,"_

_Lily's face lit up at the acknowledgement and they sat down at the doorstep to show each other what they had discovered that day, during scavenger hunt._

_Severus showed Lily a copper coin with the face of a lady engraved. They were too small to know who the lady was. He had also gotten an eagle feather, which he proudly displayed in his pencil stand, later. Lily had discovered a snail shell and that twig. The twig had two leaves in it. Lily plucked on of them and gave it to Severus._

"_Thanks Lily,"_

In between her fingers, she had that leaf, now pressed and dry. Its veins were clearly protruding out and Lily's fingers unconsciously followed their pattern while her mind wondered if Severus still had the leaf with him.

_Lily ran along the corridor and hugged Severus; he picked her up and rotated in circles. Their laughter was reverberating in the lobby and was attracting quite a number of ogling pairs of eyes._

"_Thanks Sev,"_

"_What for? It is my right to shower you with gifts on your birthday," he smiled._

_He had sent her cute birthday messages through Peeves, throughout the day. Then Lily found a gift addressed to her after the combined Potions class of Gryffindor and Slytherin. It was from Severus._

_Lily removed the scarf from her neck and revealed the moonlight pearl necklace that he had gifted her. He just raised his eyebrows and smiled._

"_I knew it would look good on you," he complimented her._

"_But how did you know that I wanted it?" Lily asked him with the excitement of a three year old on receiving a new bicycle, in her eyes._

"_That is between my heart and yours. Why should we interfere?"_

"_Oh, Sev! You're my best friend," she hugged him again._

_He kissed the top of her head and said, "You too,"_

Did he still consider her as his best friend – she wondered. 

She was unable to understand how things had changed; she could not make out why they had to change; she could not grasp the moment when things started changing; they just did.

Without a hint, Severus had started treading an alien path and went a different way. He was not with her and it pricked her like hell's fork. She wanted him back, she wanted is friendship back.

James entered the heads' dorm and saw that Lily was sleeping on the couch, clutching the beige cushion, which was still wet from tears. The pain in his eyes stepped down. He went and sat next to her, making almost no sound of being there. He gazed at her face, now pale and weak. The tears had dried and left a track on her cheeks. Her hair were scattered on the armrest of the couch, where her head lay. The pang that he had felt last night, reappeared in his eyes. His eyes were muffled with the mist of misunderstanding, her eyes were closed to hide the destruction inside her; they could not talk.

James started talking to Lily in an inaudible voice, "I don't know if I will get a chance to say this to you ever in my life. I love you Lily, most passionately. You have been a driving force in my life. I became a prankster to catch your attention, I started playing wizard chess to impress you, I stopped hexing Snape to calm your nerves, I started inventing ways to ask you out to flatter you. I did everything that was inside my capability sphere. I followed you, teased you, pestered you, complimented you, protected you; I did al this because I loved you, I still do and I always will do,"

Lily shifted slightly, her hair fell on her face. James fingered her hair away from her face and grazed at her with his eyes, as if it was the last time that he was looking at her. 

"The first time I saw you, you were a fiery girl, passionate about her studies and who detested being called even an acquaintance of indiscipline rogues. You would talk only to Snape and I would wonder what that Slytherin had that the Gryffindors didn't. I took you up as a challenge from myself and unknowingly got entwined in the magical aura weaved around you. I was mesmerized by your wit, enthralled by your honesty, bewitched by your innocence. I got caught in your emerald eyes, those lovely eyes. I still draw comfort from them. But today they are closed. But I am not sorry for myself. I am happy that I fell in love with someone like you. My love for you does not depend on what you feel about me. I will love you, whatever your feelings are for me. Always remember that there is somebody, in some corner of the world, who is there for you, who is ready to protect you, who is happy because you are happy," he kissed her head lightly and left an envelope beside her.

_Lily, wearing a white gown with a train of silver sequins, was running with a man in a black suit._

_Someone shouts 'Lily',_

_The man next to her stops and she turns back to see who had called her. She sees a flash of hazel eyes – It was Aulay._

_Then she turns back to the man she was running with. He had ebony black hair, combed back. She put her hand on his shoulders. He turned back._

_Lily again saw a pair of smiling hazel eyes. The man had a beautiful smile and a sleek, chiseled face. _

_Lily looked at him and said, "I don't love him,"_

_The man took her inside his warm embrace…………………….._

………………………and Lily woke up. 

"James,"

Lily's hand fell on the envelope kept next to her. She opened it and took the letter out. She immediately recognized the handwriting, having read his letters many times during the holidays. It read:

'_Lily,_

_I haven't written this letter to reinstate my feelings or emotions for you. I don't know why things didn't work between us. We couldn't even remain friends. But I am happy that I was in love with a person like you. I wish you all the best for your future. You deserve somebody better._

_Final Goodbye,_

_James'_

Tears started trickling down her cheeks. She had now gotten accustomed to the feeling of the fateful liquid flowing down her skin. As soon as the letter ended, she pressed the letter to her chest and cried.

_This _was the worst. The day she found out who her man was, he left her. James had waved his final goodbye.

Lily was more heartbroken than ever. This was blackest in her memory. She had been stranded in an isolated island. Her boat was lost and she could she the approaching typhoon. She was feeling like she was being whirled from one hurricane to another. She was standing in front of a blind alley, a dead end. She shuddered to think of what lay ahead.

Her sister, her best friend, her love – all gone. She felt alone. She could not rejoice the safety she had felt in James' hands; she could not celebrate the moments that she'd spent with Severus though he had disposed them off his mind; she couldn't eulogize the time that she had been with Petunia, though long back. 

Because now she was alone, all alone.


	12. Of letters and lies

**Of Letters and Lies**

James was sitting on a rock near the ridge of the mountain in Hogwart's backyard. He could see the school, the lush green gardens, the lake. The sun was setting behind the lake, giving the water golden hue. The rays seemed to have been trapped in the water. A piece of paper in his hand, fluttered in the blowing zephyr. It was the letter he had received two days back from his stepbrother.

'_James,_

_It has been a long time since I wished to communicate with you. But there is something which you need to know. Being the Boys' Captain of Durmstrang, I had participated in WDSC and I met somebody there. It was the girl whose photograph you have pasted on your cupboard – Lily Evans._

_What a beautiful creature she is! Such beautiful eyes, such a lovely face, such graceful manners, such a__ humorous__ wit. For the first time in my life I appreciate your choice. We, I and Lily, became fast friends since our very first meeting. I even took her on a broomstick ride. How she enjoyed it! Then I proposed to her and she replied instantly. She said yes. _

_But one thing that I find strange is that she never mentioned your name. Even when I asked her about her friends, she took just one name – Sev. Maybe your affair was too much one sided to be called an affair. _

_One more thing, Sirius has told her about our relationship. He tried a lot to caution her and warn her off me. But as you know, it didn't work. So ask him to take a chill pill next time and mind his own business. Also make sure that he does not challenge me again._

_If you doubt the authenticity of the details that I've given you, take a chance and ask her. You'll not get a word out of her mouth about me. I have known her quite a lot to guess this. So just shower your good wishes on us._

_Aulay'_

It was this letter which made James to call Lily on the astronomy tower. But she did not turn up and he got his answer. Even Sirius sounded uneasy when answering questions about Aulay and Lily.

Now, James sat solemnly on the rock. He didn't want to face Lily as wouldn't be able to someone else's reflection in the eyes of the girl he loved. He sat there fir a long time and watched the setting sun. Soon it became dark and he looked up at the velvety dark sky encrusted with numerous sparkling diamonds. He could see Lily's eyes twinkling among them, her smile glistening amidst the stars. For him, Aulay was his elder brother and Lily was the girl e loved the most. He chose to seek happiness in their happiness. He didn't want to make even one of them unhappy. Till the time they were happy. He was happy.

Lily was sitting in the restricted section of the library. It was peaceful there. Madam Pince had always been lenient towards her. Lily was neither there to brush her 'Advanced Potions' up, nor war she there to look for a detail she'd stumbled upon while studying. She was there to hide, from James, from her feelings, from herself. There was one more thing she was hiding from – Aulay's love. She had just received a letter from Aulay and she wasn't able to gather herself after she read it.

'_Dearest Lily,_

_I hope you are fine. It is getting unbearable for me to stay away from you for so long. I am dying to hear your voice and see your smile. The ticking of the clock I the only thing that keeps me pacified. I will be there at Hogwarts tomorrow. I so long to feel the comfort and affection of Hogwarts, which you told me about. I really wish to feel the warmth of your presence around me once again. And if it is in your haven, then nothing like it._

_Amazingly, I have started writing poetry after meeting you. I wrote this one week after I came back to Durmstrang._

_I know not, what has happened to my heart._

_Just now it was here, and now it is lost._

_I wish the time be still_

_And run back a few miles._

_Run back to the place,_

_Where I misplaced all my smiles._

_I'm here, you're not._

_So why this love knot?_

_You did not have a last look_

_Even though I waited_

_When I tried to stop you,_

_You had already proceeded._

_I'm here, you're not._

_So why this love knot?_

_I don't know if you like it or not. I hope you do._

_Will meet you soon,_

_Yours forever,_

_Aulay'_

She was perturbed. He was so deeply in love with her and she felt sorry that she could not reciprocate it. She took the letter out of her robes and read the poem again.

_I wish the time be still_

_And run back a few miles._

_Run back to the place_

_Where I misplaced all my smiles._

She too wanted the time to run back. She wanted it fly back to the time when she still had Severus' friendship and James' love with her. She wanted to relive those memories of her being happy in the company of the men she loved the most. Though with extreme difficulty, she was able to gulp down the fact that Sev had gone. She had gotten used to the feeling of Severus being far away from her. But the hard truth that James had bid farewell was indigestible for her.

_I'm here, you're not._

_So why this love knot?_

The absence of James from her life was poking her. She was getting restive. She felt as if a limb of hers had been amputated.

_You didn't have a last look,_

_Even though I waited._

_When I tried to stop you,_

_You had already proceeded._

She had waited and waited, but she never received any signal from anywhere. And when it dawned on her, James had gone. She wanted to talk to him, to tell him how deeply she'd fallen in love with him, to make him happy. But what pacified her was that he was happy. Lou, his new Lily was bringing him joys and smiles. Till the time he was happy, she was happy.

She didn't know what the time was. She had lost track. From mid-afternoon to late evening, she kept inside the restricted area.

In the heads' dorm, Sirius was getting worried. Now and then, he would glance at the clock and then at the door. He knew that Lily was disturbed and her absence was inviting all the wrong thoughts in his mind.

Finally, he went looking for her. He regretted the fact that he had surrendered the Marauder's map to Filch. For a moment he thought about nicking it from there. But his duties took their measure and he started thinking of places where Lily might be.

The first was Severus Snape. Since the first year, the only place which could comfort Lily in dire stress was next to Severus. But the case then was different. Severus had eloped and the only person he could think of was Sydney.

"Seen Lily?" Sirius' worry was evident in his tone.

"Yeah, I accompanied her to the library," Sydney said without looking up from her essay.

Sirius hurried to the Library.

"Is Lily Evans here?" he asked Madam Pince.

"Yes, she is in the restricted area. Please show your mark if you wish to enter that area," Madam Pince peered from above her spectacles.

Sirius knew that she was wary of the idea that any of the marauders would enter her beloved section. A silly reason and she would push the marauders out of her library. So made sure that he always carried his mark with her. He twisted his badge and it reflected his identity. Then it swiveled and showed Madam Pince's signature. She nodded her head on seeing the mark and he dashed towards the section.

He found Lily with her head on the table in front of her. There was a letter in her hands and it was apparent that she was terribly upset.

"Hey Lils," He tapped her head with his hands.

She looked up. Her face was swollen and red from crying. A general pallor was spread on her face. She was looking weak and dreadful.

Sirius got even more worried. He pulled a chair next to her and sat facing her; pulling her hands in his own.

"What's the matter?"

Lily tried to hold her feelings back. But she couldn't. Tears started streaming out from her eyes, unchecked. Sirius put his hands around her and pulled her in a deep embrace.

"What happened, Lily?" he mumbled.

"I didn't want this, Sirius. I never wanted this," she cried even more. Her body was shaking. Sirius held her tighter.

"What did you not want?" he whispered again.

"I did not want James to go away. Neither did I want Sev to go away. Everyone has left me, Sirius. Everyone," she sobbed.

An expression of understanding unfurled on his face.

"Sev was my best friend, Sirius. And see what he did," she blubbered.

She pulled out of his embrace, her hands pressed inside Sirius'.

"How could he do this to me? How could he?" she whimpered again.

Sirius looked at her and spoke, "I can understand what you are going through,"

Lily understood what he meant.

"I am sorry," she scoured her tears away.

"I am not. I knew they would do this some day. That was the day. All the Blacks are the same – cruel. I am not sorry; I am ashamed to be a part of that family. I am ashamed to admit that the blood running in my veins is their. I have the worst lineage anyone could ever have. But it is their deed. Mine is different and I am grateful to Almighty that he sprinkled some sense at least on me,"

Lily stopped crying.

He continued, "And as far as James is concerned, you just have to put your hand forward and he'll come running,"

Lily didn't tell him about the letter James had given her.

He pulled her up on her feet and both went to their dorm. Lily felt the same comfort in Sirius' hug that she felt in Severus'. She felt lucky to have gotten a friend in him. She thanked her stars for sending Sirius as her angel.

The evening of the arrival of the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton captains arrived. Horace Slughorn and Minerva Mcgonagall, the caretakers, had made all the arrangements of their stay in the Room of Requirements. It was right in front of the heads' dorm, so Lily and Sirius weren't required to shift. The room was done up beautifully. Four Four-poster beds were put in four corners of the room. The central area was carpeted with peach coloured rugs and surrounded with large cushions to sit on. In the centre, a teak coffee table was kept. For each student, a special library pass was made to ensure that they remained entertained.

Lily and Sirius were standing in the garden with professor Slughorn and professor Mcgonagall, waiting for their guests. First, professor Lwoff arrived with Mary and Ted using cloak as the portkey. The Beauxbaton professor was greeted with a bouquet of exotic purple and pink tulips. Lily and Sirius welcomed their friend with a hug and then showed them the way to their room. They made sure that they were well acquainted with the ways of the school and the moving staircases.

After making sure that they were comfortable, Lily and Sirius returned to the ground to usher in their Durmstrang friends - Aulay and Pamela. Professor Maria Boltsman was also gifted with a bunch of exotic tulips coloured red and yellow.

Lily felt a tinge of discomfort when Aulay approached her and gave her a hug. Sirius, as ever, was cold towards him and flinched when he hugged Lily.

"Hi!" Aulay was bright and cheerful.

"Hello," Lily said, dismantling his embrace.

"Hi, Pam," Lily greeted her.

"Hullo, Lily. How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you. Come; let me show you your room,"

Lily avoided further conversation with Aulay. Actually, she avoided any conversation at all. The only voice reaching their senses was Sirius', instructing them about the changing positions of the staircases, the areas to be avoided and the way to the library.

They reached the Room of Requirement and Sirius saw to it that everyone was fully satisfied with what they had been given. Then Lily and Sirius left the guests and went to their room.

"Tomorrow will be a long day," Sirius talked to Lily, once inside the dorm.

"Yeah. I'm tired. I'll go to sleep now," she yawned and shuffled back to her room.

Her heart was pounding with apprehension and for the first time in her life, she was unsure about how her behaviour should be. She didn't know how to tell Aulay that she loved his stepbrother and not him. She decided to let time take its turn. She snuggled inside her duvet and closed her eyes, knowing that she wouldn't be sleeping sound.


	13. Hide and Seek

**Hide and Seek**

"It is really nice to see all of you back in form, ready to work again," Professor Slughorn addressed the students who were standing in a row.

"Without any further delay, let us jump to the activity of the day. It is- Hide and Seek. The seeker will look for one person. Then that person, along with the seeker will look for the second person. Then the first person and the second person will look for the third person. In this way the chain will continue. The person whose chance is over will come back to the castle. This activity will help you to develop analytical skills. We have miniatures of all the students. Professor Mcgonagall will pull out one of them and that person will be the first seeker,"

Professor Mcgonagall came forward and put her hand inside a black bag. She pulled out Ted's miniature. He was blindfolded and his ears were plugged by professor Boltsman. After everyone had perfectly hidden themselves, his blindfold and plugs were removed. He looked confused and turned back to ask the professors for some help but got disappointed as they had already vanished. He had only his wits to rely on. He paced towards the castle and heard someone laughing. He followed the sound and reached the castle gate. There, he saw Pamela, holding her belly and laughing like mad women. He went to her and said, " I spy,"

"I don't believe it took you so long. Here's the sonogadget. We have to find Mary," she went on laughing.

"And how to use it?"

Pamela continued giggling.

"And for goodness' sake, why are you laughing?"

"I've been given something. And I …..ah ha ha…can't stop…ha ….laughing,"

"You're irritating me,"

She didn't care.

He snatched the sonogadget from her hand. It was a spherical hollow structure with two red buttons at its cardinal points. Ted pressed one of those and like a miracle, Pamela stopped laughing. He understood that pressing the other would also help. He pressed it and a blue vapour appeared inside. The voice of waves crashing to the shore came from the gadget.

"Water!" Pamela exclaimed.

They paced towards the lake and saw Mary floating on the water surface.

"We spy!" They shouted.

Mary came out of the water. Ted wished them good luck and went inside the castle while Mary showed breathing hollies to Pamela. Breathing hollies looked like twigs of olive with just one spherical fruit attached to it.

"What is this for?" Pamela looked surprised.

"We have to find Aulay and since these are breathing hollies, I assume he's in the lake,"

"Intelligent,"

Mary just smiled and attached that fruit to her nose. Automatically, the branch swiveled up and rotated around her nose and squeezed it. For a second she was not able to breathe. The next second, she didn't have to. Pamela did the same thing and then they entered the lake. After swimming between planktons and fries for fifteen minutes, Pamela spotted Aulay's leg. They followed his trail and soon caught him. They swam back to the shore and came out completely wet. Aulay put a drying charm on them and in a jiffy, the water evaporated. Pamela waved her goodbye and Aulay took out a shining triangular piece of glass from his robes.

"What is that?" Mary asked.

"It is a bird's view mirror,"

"And how will it help us?"

Aulay shrugged his shoulders and pricked one of the corners of the glass. The mirror twisted and became of the shape of a bird's eye. Lily's image appeared in the pupil of the bird's eye.

"Lily!" Mary exclaimed. " But how do we know where she is?"

"I don't know, let's see,"

They started moving towards the forest, away from the lake. Lily's image remained the same. Then they took a left and Lily's image turned towards to the right. Aulay scratched his head to understand what it meant. He tried turning back and then to his right. Lily's image became straight and then turned to its left.

"Maybe it moves with her position with respect to us," Mary suggested.

Aulay nodded and they started moving towards the forest, where her image remained straight. Walking, they reached the edge of the forest. Aulay heard Lily's footsteps. He saw Lily coming out of the forest.

"Don't enter the forest," Lily warned them.

"We spy!"

Then Mary kissed Aulay on his cheek and wished him best of luck. Next she went to Lily, kissed her on the cheek and went away.

Lily took out a broomstick from the heap of dry leaves kept near Hagrid's hut. Aulay was nothing short of rejoicing.

"Hi! I didn't expect to be with you, all alone, so soon," Aulay commented.

Lily felt a wave of discomfort sweep her feet. But she kept her calm. Lily just looked at him and said, "We have to look for Sirius,"

Aulay climbed the broomstick and questioned, " Still scared of flying?"

Lily smiled tiredly and placed herself behind him. This time she was holding the broomstick. Aulay noticed her discomfort and spoke, " You can hold me Lily,"

Lily replied, "No, it's okay. I was….er…jus…"

"I won't fly till you hold me,"

Lily was scared, though in doubt of what she was frightened of more. Feeling very awkward, she held his waist lightly. Aulay took off and very soon they were flying over the ground. Lily hadn't closed her eyes this time. She wanted to admire Hogwarts from where she was. She looked at its huge entrance, gradually becoming small; she looked at the bridge which was looking like a toy-bridge; she looked at the minarets and on one of them, she saw some activity.

"There, I think it is Sirius," Lily said to Aulay, pointing towards the minaret.

Aulay zoomed in towards the castle and spotted Sirius. "We spy, Black," he shouted.

And expression of disgust spread over Sirius' face on seeing Aulay. "Finally you were able to do something, wannabe," he snorted. Then he jumped on the broomstick in between Lily and Aulay and Lily thanked him for that, in his ears. She wasn't uncomfortable in holding Sirius. Not a word exchanged between anyone on the broom. Aulay took them the ground where all the professors and the students were waiting for them.

After the drill, dead on her feet, Lily scuffled back to her dorm. Oblivious to the world around her, she crouched on the sofa and slept.

"………………._put it there……………in the room………………………………………………………………………………..Sydney has the………………………………………………………………………..go Wormy………………………………………………………I went there…………………………………………..go and look………………………………………."_

Lily heard some voices. She opened her eyes and couldn't believe what she saw. The whole dorm was decorated with white and red lilies and strings of crapes were hung from the ceiling. In one of the corners, lots of gifts, soft toys and bouquets were arranged. All her friends were surrounding her and she sat confused. In a minute, the clock struck midnight and a rain of rose-petals started showering on her. Sirius, Lou and Remus started singing 'Happy Birthday' while James took to a mouth organ, giving them background music. Peter and Sydney cast some spell and a three tiered, heart shaped chocolate cake appeared in front of Lily.

Then, all of them came and sat in a semi-circle around her, still singing her birthday song. Lily couldn't help it. Tears of joy welled in her eyes. Sydney got up and clinched her in her arms. Quickly, all of them got up and hugged her at the same time, almost suffocating her. James, though, kept sitting in a corner.

"Happy Birthday, Lily," he wished her when the crowd around her suspended.

"Thanks," she smiled at him and then turned towards the cake. Everyone gathered around it and Remus got a camera ready.

"Make a wish," Sirius chimed as Lily was about to blow the candles. Lily closed her eyes and said to herself, _"May James always remain happy, may Sev find solace and peace. May we all remain united,"_ Meanwhile James too closed his eyes and spoke to himself, _" May the Almighty bless Lily with all the love and happiness in the world,"_

They opened their eyes, simultaneously and looked into each other's. Lily blinked and snapped the connection she'd feared. She bent down and cut the cake. She cut seven huge pieces and distributed them among her friends who had lavished such a terrific gift on her. Sirius opened a bottle of butterbeer and poured it into seven goblets. He took one of them and then stood up on the couch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" He spoke. All of them focused themselves towards the speaker. He continued, " We have gathered here to celebrate the seventeenth birthday of the smartest and the most amazing girl in Hogwarts – Lily Evans," Lily smiled at the compliment and Sirius continued speaking, " As a part of the traditions of the celebrations of the birthday party of a new adult, we have collected messages for Lily from all those people whom she has known through the years. I would like to read them out for her,"

"Go on," Peter clapped.

He took out a parchment and spoke, "The first one is from myself – Many happy returns of the day, Lily. I take this opportunity to thank you. Thank you for being my friend, for understanding me, though after several rounds of non-stop fighting, for unburdening yourself on my shoulders. I will always be there for you. I wish I could make you a part of the Marauders, because you are as dear to me as any of them,"

After days, Lily felt happy. She smiled brightly at Sirius, who continued, "The next one is from Sydney and Remus – Happy seventeenth birthday to the best friend of ours. You have been our greatest friend and companion. You've been the link which joined us. And we sincerely thank you for that. We both love you a lot and wish that you achieve all that you ever aspire for,"

Sydney and Remus went to her and hugged her tightly. Then Sirius took out the third parchment and started reading it, "This one is from Peter – Happy Birthday. You have always been sweet to me, Lily. And I adored you for that. You truly are the smartest witch in the world,"

Peter went to Lily, shyly, and gave her a yellow rose. Lily smiled and accepted it. The parchment changed and Sirius announced again, "This one is from Lou and Alice – A very happy birthday and many happy returns of the day. We have known each other very less. But your friendly nature and charming personality befriended us. Wishing you all the best in your life," Lily went to Lou and hugged her. She deliberately avoided looking in James, who was standing next to Lou.

Sirius went on, "Another one, this one from Amos Diggory," Lily's eyes widened at the mentioned of his name. She glanced at Sydney, who was smiling pleadingly.

"Happy Birthday, Lily. I always wanted to tell you something and I think your birthday is the best opportunity to tell you this. I had a crush on you since the third year. But I dared not to compete with James. Though with time I got over you, you will always have a special mention in my life," Lily started blushing. She looked at Sydney. She was smiling, with Remus in tow. Lily let out a sigh of relief. Her eye went over to James, who had a lop-sided grin on his face.

Sirius carried on, "The final one is from James," James stared at Sirius in surprise while Lily hung her head, downwards. James hadn't given any message. He wanted to give her the gift he'd bought for her for the day he would propose to her. Since he'd given up his hopes for that day to come, he had decided to give it to her on her birthday. But, before he could say anything, Sirius started, "Happy Birthday to the girl I loved the most. Time flew such fast between us. I know I've pestered you and tried your patience at all possible events of time. It is a pity that I drifted apart and got somebody else. Still, you'll always be special to me. After all, not many people get a chance to fall in love with Lily Evans,"

Lily felt tears well up in her eyes. She looked at James and it crushed his heart to see Lily like this. She turned and went out of the room, running. James looked at Sirius, ready to punch him in his face.


	14. Their birthday Wish

**Their Birthday Wish**

"What was that?"

James looked ready to fight. Sirius had kneaded all his nerves in all the wrong places. Sirius got down from the couch and patted his shoulder.

"Let me explain. It was a plan,"

James raised an eyebrow and said, "I am listening,"

Sydney, Lou, Peter and Remus opened their ears.

"Since it was clear that Lily too liked you, I devised a plan to make her come to terms with her feelings. Before going to Beauxbaton I noticed that Lily became uncomfortable when Lou was near you. I hit the hot iron and told her that you had fallen for Lou. Constant renewal of this, made her jealous and she accepted it in front of me that she loved you,"

All the others too were astounded and Lou looked furious. She said, "It was Lily's civility that she didn't hex me. Otherwise, you'd made all the arrangements to get me reprimanded by her," While others laughed at this, James didn't know what to say. Neither could he scold Sirius, as he had done this for him; nor could he thank him, as in the confusion Aulay won over Lily. He spoke, "And what do you have to say about Aulay? He has made Lily fall in love with him. I have lost her,"

Sirius nodded and said, "Lily doesn't love him,"

'Aulay wrote a letter to me saying that Lily has agreed to his proposal,"

"He is a liar; you know he is. Moreover, he has an intention I doing this. And he can go to any extent to fulfill his challenges,"

James understood what he meant.

"I wish I could put you in a room full of bludgers," James was speechless.

"Bludgers seldom scare the best beater of the world. And if so is the case, don't come thanking me on your first wedding anniversary," He winked. Then he gestured towards the door from where Lily had gone out.

James went out of the room and knowing Lily, he immediately paced towards the lake.

Aulay was near the lake, practicing night-time wizardry when he heard someone sobbing. He turned back and saw Lily, sitting on a bench near the castle gate. He smiled to himself and went to sit next to her.

"Hi, Lilyflower,"

Lily rubbed her tears away.

"You didn't give me an answer, Lils,"

"Which answer?"

"I had asked you something in Beauxbaton,"

Lily swallowed and Aulay noticed her nervousness. Lily knew she had to face this situation, but did not know what to say. Aulay asked again, this time a restlessness showing in his voice. Meanwhile, James appeared behind them. For a second he thought of leaving them alone. But his lack of faith in Aulay made him stay.

"No," Lily said in a small voice.

"What?"

"No I don't love you,"

"Did you just say that you didn't love me?" Aulay was angry. He squeezed her arm and pulled her towards himself. James clenched his fists at Aulay's rough behaviour with Lily.

"Leave me Aulay. You're hurting me," she tried distancing herself from him, but he was too strong.

"Getting hurt, are you, princess? Then say that you love me,"

"No, I don't,"

He squeezed her arm more and pulled her on her feet. He pushed her on the wall behind and pressed himself over her, such that not a breath of air was present between them.

"You have seen too much of my goodness. Now see who the bad Aulay is," he said twisting her arm more.

"I hate you Aulay Mackenzie. Sirius was right. You are not a friend, you're a fiend," Lily shouted desperately trying to push him, kick him; but he was too muscular for her.

He grabbed her neck and started shouting, "You have provoked me enough. You'll have to pay for it Lily Evans………

He was cut in by a pull on his back. It could not be anyone other than James.

"Jamesie, my poor little son of…..

He received a kick this time. He fell to the ground, releasing his hold on Lily. She fell to ground, gasping for breath. James was too furious to give any solace to Lily.

"Wands in," James gritted through his teeth.

Before James could ready himself, Aulay jumped on him, pushing him to the ground. Aulay tried to punch his nose but James grabbed his fist and pushed him off himself. He switched his position and sat on top of him. He punched him numerous times in his stomach and on his nose and everywhere else. His anger seemed to grow with time. James fury was stronger than Aulay's muscles. It never gave Aulay a chance to bounce back. James pulled Aulay up on his feet and smashed his head on the nearby tree, again and again, till it got cleaved near his eyebrow and started bleeding. Aulay fell to ground, unconscious. James glanced at Lily, who looked scared; there were tears in her eyes. He felt like hitting him again, but his unconscious state made him decide otherwise. He picked Aulay up and took him to the hospital wing.

"Merlin, what happened to him?" madam Pomfrey asked James anxiously.

"He fell off the seventh floor balcony," James replied coldly. Then he turned back. Something told him that Lily would be waiting. On reaching, he spotted Lily sitting on the bench, looking grave. He went and sat next to her, "It is my fault. He made you a target because he knew that it would hurt me directly. Because of my animosity with him, you had to suffer,"

Lily didn't show any sign of acknowledgement but James knew she was listening.

"My father loved a witch from his schooldays. Her name was Carol Brandon. But because she was a muggleborn, my grandfather married him off to another woman named Catherine Mackenzie. A year after their marriage, she gave birth to Aulay. But she died of complications. It was then that my father came to know that he had another son – I. I am eight months elder to Aulay. My father married my mother. We were never told about it. We grew up as Carol Potter's sons. As Catherine Potter's last wish Aulay was put in Durmstrang. We were in different schools, we never knew why. When we were in our third year, Aulay accidentally saw his admission papers. It stated that he was the son of Catherine Potter and not Carol Potter. He asked our father about it, but did not receive any answer. Then my grandfather told him everything and since then there has been an unbridgeable rift between us. He thinks that it was because of me that dad had to marry my mum and he didn't remain faithful to his mum. He even changed his surname from Potter to Mackenzie. Last holidays, Aulay saw the photograph of yours that I had pasted on my cupboard. He, in his worst bid to provoke me, started saying despicable things about you. Sirius too was present there. He got really angry. He somehow knew that you liked me, so he challenged Aulay to win you over from me. When Aulay saw you at Beauxbaton, he saw it as an opportunity and tried to woo you. This has what has caused this ruckus."

"_Accio gift,"_ James used this spell non-verbally and the gift that he'd gotten for Lily, flew towards them.

"There is one more thing that I wanted to tell you," He pressed his hands on her cold ones. He felt Lily shiver at his touch. She looked into his eyes, his hazel eyes. They were betraying his feelings, his emotions. They had always done that in front of Lily, but this time it appeared so different.

"I have just one Lily in my life – you. I cannot imagine going out with anyone except you, I cannot picture my life without you, I have not and I cannot think of anyone other than you,"

Lily looked away. She could not bear to see him do this to her, again. He put the gift on her lap. It was a pink box with white ribbons decorated all over it in a bow. A note was attached to it. It read:

'_Dearest Lily,_

_This is the most beautiful sight that I have ever seen. I wanted to share it with you. I hope you like it, because I loved it._

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_

_James'_

Lily opened the box and saw a heart shaped mirror inside it. It had an ivory handle and the border too was adorned with ivory. Lily picked it up and saw the reflection of her face in it. She smiled and turned to James. He was gazing at her. Their eyes met, never to be separated again.

She put the mirror on the bench, behind her and took James' collar, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I hate you, James Potter. I hate you,"

Her hands flung around his neck and her head dug deep in his shoulders, her tears wetting his pale blue shirt. She encased him in his arms. James, at first, wanted to pinch himself. He put his arms around her and held her tightly to himself.

She kissed the curve of his neck and whispered, "I love you, James,"

A chill ran down his spine as her lips touched his skin. His hands went to her face scouring her tears away. He cupped her face and pulled her near him.

"I love you too, Lily. I love you with all my heart and soul and strength and I cannot live without you near me,"

With this, he descended his lips on hers. Her body was receiving tremors from inside. He held her tightly for she was shivering with pleasure. She kissed him back, her hand ruffling his hair up. She had always liked it like that.

They broke apart, looked deep into each other's eyes and kissed again. The birthday wish that Lily had asked for had come true. She knew that James was happy, and the feeling that it was she who made him happy, made her happier. It was the perfect birthday of her life; she had received the perfect birthday gift.

James wanted to remain like this, forever. Lily too wished to remain in his arms till eternity. They sat there, in each other's arms; as close to each other as water and waves, as sky and clouds, as land and mountains, as love and life.

**I hope you like the story. This is my first one. Please leave a review and let me know what you think about it. PLZ!!**


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